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On a frigid night at Elizabethtown Sports Park in Elizabethtown, KY, Louisville City FC triumphed over the Lipscomb Bison, 3-0, on the same field they dropped a result on one year prior.

What Happened?

In the team’s third preseason win in a row, midfielder Magnus Rasmussen’s early involvement ensured a few attacking opportunities for his side, but it would take until the 17th minute for the “Boys in Purple” to find the net. Combining with forward Cameron Lancaster, who had another good stint up front, the Danish delight set up Lancaster for a shot, who curled one past the Lipscomb ‘keeper to go one-up.

Head coach James O’Connor’s men would poke and prod around the attacking third as the half wore on, though the Bison were equal to any chance sent their way. That is, until the 41st minute, when Rasmussen found his first of the night – the team’s second – off a pass from teammate George Davis IV.

The final goal of the match came quickly after the halftime break as LouCity barreled forward looking for a third. As the attack hounded the Lipscomb goal, Davis IV found an angle to fire a shot on frame that found goal after taking a deflection that gave the Bison ‘keeper no chance.

LouCity now turns its attention to its final preseason match this Saturday, March 10 against Saint Louis FC at Arad McCutchan Stadium (University of Evansville) for a 4:00 P.M. CT / 5:00 P.M. ET kickoff.

The Key Points:

• Cameron Lancaster scored his second goal of the preseason on a curler that nestled into the far side of the net
• Rasmussen doubled the lead just before the half with a bending effort set up by George Davis IV
• GDIV added our third just after the restart, ripping a ball on frame beat the ‘keeper thanks to a slight deflection on the way

O’Connor’s Takeaways:

On tonight’s performance:
“We’re pleased with the level of performance. I thought the attitude was very good tonight. There was a good mentality to our performance as well. We can be pleased. There were some lovely passages of play – still a couple of things that we can be sharper on – but overall a pleasing performance.”

On Lipscomb:
“To give the guys their due, they kept at it. We could have scored some more goals, but overall, we’re pleased. I want to thank Lipscomb as well. It’s great credit to them as well to come up and to play us. We’re very grateful for them. This is the second year running and we’re hopeful we’re going to be able to build a nice relationship with the guys there because they’re great. They had a great year themselves last year in a very strong season, so it’s nice and we’re building something there as well.”

On the final preseason test this Saturday:
“For us, the biggest thing is trying to maintain the level of performance and our level of fitness, but it’s also about trying to manage minutes and stay injury free. The only thing that we want is to get through preseason injury-free having seen some of our principles that we’ve been trying to implement. That’s our final hope.”

On familiar foes:
“It will be a nice occasion. [Saint Louis FC] has Anthony [Pulis], a really good friend of mine, as well as Sean Reynolds and Kadeem [Dacres] as well as Corey [Hertzog] from my Orlando days so it’ll be nice to see them. But it’ll be a stiff test, they’ll be good this year for sure.”

Team News:

All three of midfielder Brian Ownby, defender Alexis Souahy, and forward Ilija Ilic were sidelined as a precaution.

LouCity 3 : 0 Lipscomb Bisons
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Elizabethtown Sports Park – Elizabethtown, KY

Scoring Summary:
LOU – Cameron Lancaster 17′
LOU – Magnus Rasmussen (Davis IV) 41’
LOU – George Davis IV 47’

Disciplinary Summary:
LOU – Sean Totsch 60’ 

LouCity looks to Lipscomb on Wednesday for midweek preseason tune-up.

A dominant performance against Northern Kentucky University last Saturday yielded a 4-0 win for the “Boys in Purple,” with a goal from defender Kyle Smith, a brace from forward Luke Spencer, and a last-gasp sweetener from midfielder Niall McCabe, who doubled his tally in preseason with his second goal in as many games.

Dropping last year’s preseason contest to the Bisons, LouCity looks to take one back midweek ahead of a Saturday night contest against USL side Saint Louis FC at Arad McCutchan Stadium in Evansville, IN.   Against NKU, a number of outfield players went the distance, begging the question of how much head coach James O’Connor will look to rotate his team with the regular season less than two weeks away.

When & Where

LouCity is excited to travel to Elizabethtown, KY, and Elizabethtown Sports Park for the second straight year! The third preseason match of the year, kickoff at Championship Field 10 is scheduled for 7:30 P.M. and fans can follow the match live on Twitter & Instagram.

CLICK HERE for a map of Elizabethtown Sports Park.

DOWNLOAD: LouCity app for iOS | LouCity app for Android

Last Time Out

LouCity’s preseason schedule took them to Newport, KY to face Northern Kentucky University at NKU Soccer Stadium. Starting with and maintaining a high intensity through the first half, the “Boys in Purple” jumped out to a quick lead in the sixth minute via defender Kyle Smith‘s now infamous “knee goal,” before doubling their lead thanks to forward Luke Spencer‘s first goal of the night in the 15th minute. A brief passage of possession for the Norse then resulted in LouCity scoring its third goal of the night, this again from Spencer, a rifle of a rebound from close-in. Halftime came and went with LouCity up 3-0 and no changes made to the team from the first half.

A possession-based second half, the team poked and prodded in attack while shutting down a few opportunities for the Norse on the break. Like in last week’s win over Young Harris College, though, midfielder Niall McCabe had to add win near stoppage time, scoring the team’s fourth of the day off a quick restart.

O’Connor had this to say about the match:
“The first half produced some good play. The intensity was good, there were some nice passes. We still have things we thought could be sharper on and quicker with that we wanted to do in the second half, but we didn’t do it. Overall, we can be pleased with the first half but disappointed with the second half.”

Smith also emphasized that there is still work to do:
“Today was a challenge but we’re trying to adjust. We always have stuff to work on. We got tired and got a bit sloppy with our passes at the end there so we need to clean that up. Even when we’re tired, we have to stay focused and composed on the ball.”

From the Gaffer

On tonight’s match:
“The biggest thing for us in preseason games is always managing minutes, but we obviously want to win. Credit to Lipscomb last year, who took their opportunity last year but it’s certainly a game we’re excited to have and we have a lot of respect for Lipscomb and their program, but we’re looking forward to the game tonight for sure.”

On rotation:
“I think the guys that didn’t play 90 minutes [against NKU] will play 90 minutes tonight. That’s the plan, at least. There might be a couple of others that will go for a half or so, but for us, it’s about getting minutes in legs and managing how they feel. We’ve been on grass this week thanks to the facilities at Collegiate – they’ve been great in helping us. We just need to be mindful of everything.

All last week we went from a hard surface, which was turf, and then we’ve been on grass the last couple of days, and then we’ll be on turf again tonight. We’re just being mindful of that as well.”

On spreading LouCity to E-town:
“It means a lot to us [to be able to visit Elizabethtown]. We wanted to go to Lexington this year as well but unfortunately, UK was not able to fulfill the fixture, but the plan in the preseason was to try and get to those different parts of the state. The local community means a lot to us but the state community means a lot to us as well. We want to keep getting out there and showing people who their soccer team is and what we are about.”

On selection availability:
“The same three we are being cautious with – Brian [Ownby], Ilija [Ilic] and Alexis [Souahy] – they won’t be involved tonight.”

Team News
OUT – Brian Ownby  (illness)
QUESTIONABLE – Alexis Souahy (leg)
QUESTIONABLE – Ilija Ilic (leg)

Putting in a full-throttle performance, LouCity came away 4-0 victors against Northern Kentucky University at NKU Soccer Stadium in Newport, KY on Saturday afternoon thanks to goals from defender Kyle Smith , forward Luke Spencer , and midfielder Niall McCabe.

What Happened?
It took LouCity just six minutes to find the back of the net against the Norse in Newport, with Smith bundling a close-range effort over the line amidst a pack of bodies. Winning an early corner, Oscar Jimenez delivered a peach of a ball into the area that no one player was able to get a clear head on. As the ball fell to the floor, Smith was closest to it and barreled it into the back of the net.

In a span of ten minutes, the “Boys in Purple” found their second and third goal of the match from the forward Spencer, who used his size to his advantage in powering two efforts home from a short distance. ‘Keeper Greg Ranjitsingh had little to do in his side’s dominant first half, only making one save.

Trotting out most the same team for the second half, the lone change saw netminder Tim Dobrolowski take his place in goal until the 80th minute, when Chris Hubbard would replace him, while the field players remained the same. Working through to multiple opportunities in the half, midfielders Richard Ballard and Devon “Speedy” Williams saw their fair share of the ball in helping create chances going forward. Just before fulltime, midfielder Niall McCabe would find his way on the scoresheet off a quick restart for his second goal in as many games. Overall, LouCity’s three-goal advantage from the first half on top of McCabe’s sweetener saw the team take down the Norsemen on a perfect day for football in Kentucky.

The Key Points:

• Kyle Smith broke the deadlock following a corner kick just six minutes in
• Luke Spencer doubled our advantage from close range after 15 minutes  
• Spencer doubled his tally within ten minutes, nodding home our third
• Niall McCabe netted his second goal in as many weeks right at the death of the match

O’Connor’s Takeaways:
“We had some nice passages in the first half with some things we wanted to see, but we’re disappointed with the second half. I thought the intensity wasn’t where it needed to be – a lot of sloppiness. Whether that’s down to the 90 minutes for some of them or not, I don’t know, but irritated with that second half.”

“The first half produced some good play. The intensity was good, there were some nice passes. We still have things we thought could be sharper on and quicker with that we wanted to do in the second half, but we didn’t do it. Overall, we can be pleased with the first half but disappointed with the second half.”

“There are areas we certainly need to work on, but we have players who can play in multiple positions and it was nice to see.”

Players’ Point of View:
“Today was a challenge but we’re trying to adjust. We always have stuff to work on. We got tired and got a bit sloppy with our passes at the end there so we need to clean that up. Even when we’re tired, we have to stay focused and composed on the ball.” – Kyle Smith

Team News:
Midfielder Brian Ownby remained absent due to illness, while defender Alexis Souahy and forward Ilija Ilic were sidelined as a precaution.

LouCity 4 : 0 NKU Norse
Saturday, March 3, 2018
NKU Soccer Stadium – Newport, KY

Scoring Summary:
LOU – Kyle Smith 6’
LOU – Luke Spencer 15’
LOU – Luke Spencer 24’
LOU – Niall McCabe 88′

LouCity faces Northern Kentucky Univ. for their second of four preseason tests

Goals from Cameron Lancaster, Magnus Rasmussen, & Niall McCabe propelled head coach James O’Connor’s side over Young Harris College last weekend. Now, LouCity heads into the first of three games in eight days ahead of the 2018 season opener on Saturday, March 17.

When & Where

Hosting last weekend’s match, LouCity now travels to NKU Soccer Stadium to face the Norse for a 1:00 P.M. kickoff in Newport, KY. At this time, the match will not be broadcast but fans can follow all the action live on Twitter & Instagram.

DOWNLOAD: LouCity app for iOS | LouCity app for Android

Last Time Out

LouCity left their first preseason contest with a win after a dominant 3-1 performance over Young Harris College at Woerhle Athletic Complex last Saturday afternoon.

After an exciting but goalless first half, the “Boys in Purple” broke the deadlock in the 56th minute through forward Cameron Lancaster. Sneaking in between lines, the Londoner pulled in a pass before slotting home from near the top of the box to go one-up. Minutes later, Young Harris would find their lone goal of the match on an effective counterattack that saw their forward drift past the defense before finding the back of the net from close range.

However, the hosts would not let things stay level for long. LouCity midfielder Magnus Rasmussen restored the lead in the 65th minute, tapping in from inside the area. Shutting down any opportunities the Mountain Lions could produce, midfielder Niall McCabe finished off the match with a bang in the 90th minute, pinning a deflected effort off the underside of the crossbar for the team’s third goal of the day.

From the Gaffer

On his goal for the weekend:
“Once again, the biggest thing will be trying to stay injury-free. We’ve worked on a couple of things based off last week’s game but still have a few things that we’ll need a bit more time to work on. The attitude of the guys has been fantastic, though. We’ve spent the work on turf which is not ideal, so great credit to the lads for their attitudes.”

On team selection:
“We have the three we’re managing – Brian, Ilija, and Alexis – but apart from that, we should be free. Everyone else is available for minutes but we also have Lipscomb on Wednesday and then Saint Louis next Saturday, so for us it’s trying to manage the training load and the minutes in games and trying to maximize the things we want to see in those games.”

On the team’s focus:
“We’ll give everyone minutes in these next three games, but at this stage, we’ll want to start seeing some of the things we’ve been speaking about and working on in training. That’s the element of preseason we want to get to. Our hope is that we start to see all of that in these next three [games] coming up.”

On how preseason is shaping up:
“We’ve seen some things we like and we’ve seen some things we need to work on, but I don’t think we’re ever content, to be honest. I think there’s always something we’ll find.”

Team News
OUT – Brian Ownby  (illness)
DOUBTFUL – Alexis Souahy (leg)
DOUBTFUL – Ilija Ilic (leg) 

The Louisville City FC ownership group has today announced a donation to The Coalition for the Homeless, with the funds raised by various owners made available immediately to support residents of Campbell Camp and The Coalition for the Homeless, a nonprofit organization in the Louisville community that advocates for the homeless.

Serving as the voice of the homeless in Louisville, the Coalition works with the goal of preventing and eliminating homelessness in the community and will use the funds to provide housing and transitional support for those in the Butchertown development area for a full two months.

On the donation, Natalie Harris, Executive Director at The Coalition for the Homeless, said:

“While there has been tremendous excitement about the new soccer stadium, the homeless residents of Campbell Camp have been worried about where they would go. Thanks to this generous gift from LCFC, these Louisvillians now have a plan to stay safe in warm hotels while our partners work to get them into permanent housing. We are so grateful for this compassionate gesture.”

“The Coalition and partners have already identified each of the residents who were living in Campbell Camp last week and have dedicated money for each of them for hotel stays beginning as soon as possible, with a goal of moving each of these people into permanent housing shortly thereafter. The Coalition cautions all homeless people to stay away from the former Campbell Camp area, as it is no longer safe, following the flooding last week.”

Also weighing in, Mayor Greg Fisher lauded the donation and said:

“I would like to thank the owners of Louisville City FC for stepping up with this donation, which boosts the Coalition for the Homeless’ efforts to help the people displaced by development transition to permanent housing.  This new soccer district promises to be great for Louisville, and this donation shows that the developers and team owners are committed to spreading the benefits. As we deal with the complex issues surrounding individuals experiencing homelessness, partners like Louisville City FC are key.”

John Neace, Chairman of LouCity, said:

“We are happy to do our part in assisting with this transition. The funds we raised will support our mission of serving Louisville, and we will continue to work with the Coalition as we know this is an issue close to the hearts of our supporters and our city.”

– LouisvilleCityFC.com | Follow Louisville City FC on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram –

In their first preseason test of the 2018 season, LouCity prevailed with a 3-1 win over Young Harris College thanks to second-half goals from Cameron Lancaster, Magnus Rasmussen, and Niall McCabe.

James O’Connor’s side took to the pitch for the first time all year following a two-week stint at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, prioritizing fitness and off-the-ball work ahead of a five-game preseason.

Though the team commanded the game in the first half, LouCity was unable to find the back of the net despite opportunities for forward Luke Spencer and midfielder Richard Ballard, both of whom were active in the attacking third throughout.

Despite a scoreless contest through nearly an hour, Cameron Lancaster was able to break the deadlock in the 56th minute. Settling a pass near the top of the box, the forward produced a calm, curling effort past the Young Harris ‘keeper to the far post, igniting the LouCity attacking output.

Just two minutes later, the visiting side would find their lone goal of the afternoon following a sprightly counter that led to an opening at the back. However, their lead would be short-lived as Magnus Rasmussen was able to tap home from close range in the 65th minute.

As LouCity continued marshaling play on both ends, the “Boys in Purple” would pepper the Young Harris goal as the match neared its end. After back-to-back corner kicks in the final few minutes, Niall McCabe was able to put the icing on the cake with a sweet but deflected strike that clipped the underside of the crossbar on its way in.

“It means a lot to me to play this game. I spent four great years at Young Harris, I know Mark [McKeever] and Dean [Grey]. They run a great program,” said McCabe.

“Coming up against a former team, you want to show that you’ve got it and you almost want to prove something as well. But they have a very good side and they made it difficult for us. They worked hard. It’s just really good to get minutes under the belt and to have no injuries. It was a good workout for us.”

The exclamation point of the afternoon, the midfielder’s bullet of an effort was the last action of the match.

The Key Points:

• Lancaster’s curler put the team in front just before the hour mark
• Rasmussen gets his first goal since returning to LouCity to put his side back in front
• McCabe nets an absolute belter, too, for a three-goal output

O’Connor’s Takeaways:

“We’ve got lots to work on – that’s what I’m taking away from it. We created lots of opportunities and we need to be more clinical, but still have a lot to work on. We were too sloppy for my liking and it has to be better.”

“Young Harris deserves a lot of credit for how they played. They played with tremendous spirit; they’re very well organized. [Young Harris head coach] Mark [McKeever] is a really good coach and this was a good test for us. We’re very thankful and grateful they made the trip up to give us a good run.”

“We need to have a better collective understanding and awareness. There are a couple of things we need to get much better at so this week will be spent doing just that.”

Team News:

With only a pair of LouCity players going the distance for the full 90 minutes, a number of players featured for 45 minutes as O’Connor continued to tweak his squad.

Midfielder Brian Ownby was absent due to illness.

LouCity 3 : 1 Young Harris College
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Woerhle Athletic Complex – Jeffersonville, IN

Scoring Summary:
LOU – Cameron Lancaster 56’
YHC – Young Harris forward
LOU – Magnus Rasmussen 65’
LOU – Niall McCabe 90’