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USL Power Rankings - Week 18

By USLSoccer.com Staff, 07/16/18, 6:45PM EDT

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Reno’s run up rankings continues as record marks come into view

The top three clubs in the USLSoccer.com Power Rankings remain the same at the end of Week 18, but the hottest team in the league is now sitting at No. 4 as Reno 1868 FC continues what is now starting to look like a credible run at a pair of league records in addition to its run toward the top of the Western Conference.

Now sitting second to Real Monarchs SLC after last Wednesday night’s 4-1 victory against the LA Galaxy II, 1868 FC has claimed five consecutive victories, including one against the Monarchs on July 3 that is now starting to look like a key moment in the race for first place. Reno is also now chasing the Monarchs for the most consecutive wins in league history, after Real reeled off nine consecutive wins early last season.

That will be a challenge, especially considering the club’s next four games include trips to visit the Monarchs and Swope Park Rangers, as well as host regional rival Sacramento Republic FC. So will be taking on the even longer scope of the Richmond Kickers’ record of 22 games without a defeat, set in the 2013 season. 1868 FC is now undefeated in its last 16 league contests, six games away from the Kickers’ magic number, which would mean the club would need to keep its streak going until September 1’s visit to another currently hot side, Fresno FC.

It’s going to take a lot for Reno to come close to either of those marks, with Richmond’s having been tested but not surpassed in recent seasons. With the way 1868 FC is playing currently, though, it will be worth paying close attention when the side returns to action on July 28.

The four-person USLSoccer.com voting panel tabulates 16 points for first-place team votes, 15 points to the second-place team and so forth to one point for 16th place. The accrued points among the group determines the final ranking.

Rank

 

Team/Record

Change

Summary

1 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
62 pts | (9-1-7)
Week 18: --
Week 19: CHS

Last Week: 1
A week off saw Cincinnati extend its lead at the top of the Eastern Conference, but Riverhounds SC holds onto its top spot in the rankings with just one loss this season.
2 FC Cincinnati
61 pts | (11-3-5)
Week 18: W, 2-0 TBR
Week 19: CLT, NY

Last Week: 2
A first victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies came in standard order as Emmanuel Ledesma and Danni König continued to offer a great 1-2 punch for FCC’s attack.
3 Real Monarchs SLC
56 pts | (13-4-2)
Week 18: W, 2-0 SEA
Week 19: @SA

Last Week: 3
The Monarchs got the bounce-back win they were looking for against Seattle Sounders FC 2 and will have been happy with results elsewhere in the West.
4 Reno 1868 FC
44 pts | (10-3-7)
Week 18: W, 4-1 @LA
Week 19: --
2
Last Week: 6
Five consecutive victories have Reno sitting in second place after sitting in second-last place at the end of Week 5. Antoine Hoppenot finding the net this season was a pleasing sight as well.
5 Phoenix Rising FC
46 pts | (10-4-5)
Week 18: L. 0-4 @FRS
Week 19: SEA
1
Last Week: 4
Not only did Reno overtake Phoenix in midweek, Rising FC then suffered its worst loss of the season on Saturday night in Fresno. Getting back in the win column this Friday against last-place Seattle is a must.
6 Sacramento Republic FC
40 pts | (10-5-6)
Week 18: W, 3-1 @SPR, W, 1-0 @COS
Week 19: OKC
5
Last Week: 11
Back-to-back road victories – including becoming the first side to defeat the Swope Park Rangers at their place since last July – gets Sacramento a sizeable boost up the rankings.
7 Louisville City FC
39 pts | (8-4-5)
Week 18: L, 1-2 @CHS
Week 19: CLT
2
Last Week: 5
Coming up on the short end in Charleston isn’t a poor result on its own, but Louisville will have to have a short memory as it tries to focus on the biggest game of its season so far at the Chicago Fire in the Open Cup on Wednesday night.
8 Charleston Battery
11 pts | (8-3-8)
Week 18: W, 2-1 IND, W, 2-1 LOU
Week 19: @PGH
6
Last Week: 14
Nothing like some home cooking to get things going in the right direction again for the Battery, who moved above both Indy and Louisville with their victories against them over the past seven days.
9 Nashville SC
28 pts | (7-4-6)
Week 18: L, 0-1 @CLT
Week 19: @OTT
1
Last Week: 8
Nashville’s midweek loss in Charlotte saw the side slide to seventh in the Eastern Conference thanks to Charleston and New York’s wins, and Saturday’s trip to Ottawa could be tricky.
10 Orange County SC
26 pts | (10-6-3)
Week 18: W, 3-0 SA
Week 19: @SPR, @STL
2
Last Week: 12
Orange County’s victory against San Antonio continued its run of alternating wins and losses, one that it will want to end when it faces a test with a visit to the Swope Park Rangers.
T-11 Fresno FC
23 pts | (7-7-7)
Week 18: W, 4-0 PHX
Week 19: --
4
Last Week: 15
Three consecutive victories, all against sides sitting above it in the standings? That’s impressive from the Foxes, who are now in the playoff positions and putting pressure on those chasing.
T-11 Indy Eleven
23 pts | (8-6-4)
Week 18: L, 1-2 @CHS
Week 19: @TBR
2
Last Week: 9
Indy wasn’t the only side to come a cropper in Charleston over the past week, but the Eleven will want to get something out of Saturday’s trip to Tampa Bay ahead of two key road games in Bethlehem and Louisville.
13 Swope Park Rangers
19 pts | (9-6-4)
Week 18: L, 1-3 SAC, L, 1-2 @POR
Week 19: OC, RGV
6
Last Week: 7
Back-to-back defeats after consecutive victories dropped the Rangers back down to sixth, and while the side is still sitting comfortably in the playoff positions a win against Orange County on Wednesday would be welcome.
14 New York Red Bulls II
16 pts | (7-5-7)
Week 18: W, 5-1 RIC
Week 19: BST, @CIN
2
Last Week: 16
Two games, 11 goals and the Red Bulls II are back in the swing of things, and just in time too with contests against Bethlehem and Cincinnati coming up this week.
15 OKC Energy FC
7 pts | (6-10-3)
Week 18: W, 6-4 LV
Week 19: @SAC

Last Week: NR
Last Wednesday night’s 6-4 win against Las Vegas Lights FC was one to remember, but more importantly it moved Energy FC’s undefeated streak to six games (4-0-2) as it looks to chase down Fresno.
16 Charlotte Independence
5 pts | (7-6-6)
Week 18: W, 1-0 NSH
Week 19: @CIN, @LOU

Last Week: NR
Victory against Nashville on home turf was a good way to break a winless streak, but now the Independence will run the gauntlet of facing both Cincinnati and Louisville on the road over the next seven days.

Dropped from Rankings: Bethlehem Steel FC (13)

Also receiving votes: Ottawa Fury FC 2, Penn FC 2

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