Before Brian Ownby signed with Louisville City FC, making a move from his hometown Richmond Kickers, he had a call to make.
His former Kickers teammate, George Davis IV, answered it after his first season with Louisville City FC.
“I had a lot of fun when I was back in Richmond with him a couple years ago,” Ownby said. “He kind of helped bring me over here. I had some questions. I contacted him, and when I’m out here, I think you can see we have that connection on the field.”
Five months later, the two anchor LouCity’s attacking midfield, Davis IV often lining up on the left wing with Ownby on the right. Davis IV has placed a team-high 13 shots on target, while Ownby’s 23 shots overall lead the boys in purple.
The two also connected on a bang-bang chance that missed by inches last time out, in a 3-0 win over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. They’ll give it another go Saturday when LouCity plays the Harrisburg City Islanders at FNB Field in Pennsylvania.
“I know what he’s good at. He seems to know what I’m good at,” Davis IV said of Ownby. “So I’m enjoying the connection we have, and hopefully we can continue on and do more.”
LouCity matched its season-best winning streak at three games with the Riverhounds victory. The club is within three points of the USL’s Eastern Conference leader, the Charleston Battery, heading into this weekend.
Continued success in Year 3 under coach James O’Connor can be attributed, in part, to the chemistry between Ownby and Davis IV.
“I think you can see they enjoy playing with each other,” the coach said. “I think there’s a nice little partnership building there. There’s a good understanding. I think it helps that they like each other and they’re friends. That’s a piece of it.
“But I also think they’re two very good footballers, which is probably the most important part of it.”
Both midfielders spent two seasons with the Kickers, a USL Eastern Conference rival. Leaving for Davis IV meant a shift to a league contender with LouCity. For Ownby, a native of nearby Glen Allen, Va., and a University of Virginia product, the decision was personal.
The 26-year-old has also suited up for Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo, the club that selected him in the 2012 SuperDraft. In addition to the Kickers, he also played for the Riverhounds on loan from Houston.
After the call from Davis IV, he’s glad to have joined LouCity.
“This is the closest group I’ve ever had in a squad,” Ownby said. “Everyone’s friendly. Everyone hangs out. It’s not like certain cliques here and there. It’s a great environment, and that’s all I needed. After speaking with James as well, it was a no-brainer.”
