San Diego Loyal SC goalkeeper Duran Ferree was impressive in his first shutout in the USL Championship this past Sunday afternoon at Torero Stadium.

He also made league history in the process.

More on that, and details on notable upcoming milestones for some of the league’s longstanding attacking greats, where SD Loyal’s home winning streak to start the season ranks all-time, and the group that Monterey Bay F.C. joined in the Open Cup on Tuesday night.

We’ve also got upcoming potential landmarks around the league, and the Week 8 Discipline Report.

Let’s dig in.

NEWS AND NOTES

SD LOYAL’S DURAN FERREE YOUNGEST TO RECORD CHAMPIONSHIP SHUTOUT

San Diego Loyal SC goalkeeper Duran Ferree became the youngest goalkeeper to record a shutout in the USL Championship’s history on Sunday afternoon in the club’s 1-0 victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Making his third appearance in the league overall, the United States U-17 international put in a strong overall display aged 16 years, 6 months, 27 days old.

Ferree surpasses the mark previously held by Real Monarchs SLC goalkeeper Jeffrey Dewsnup, whose first professional shutout came against SD Loyal on August 7, 2021 aged 17 years, 2 months and 18 days old.

Additionally, Ferree is almost seven years younger than the second-youngest goalkeeper to have recorded a shutout in the USL Championship so far this season, with Las Vegas Lights FC’s Leo Diaz next in the list aged 23 years, 2 months, 6 days old when he posted a clean sheet against Indy Eleven on April 1.

Youngest Goalkeeper to Record Shutout in USL Championship Regular Season
1. Duran Ferree, San Diego Loyal SC – 16 years, 6 months, 27 days vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies (4-23-23)
2. Jeffrey Dewsnup, Real Monarchs SLC – 17 years, 2 months, 18 days vs. San Diego Loyal SC (8-7-21)
3. Aaron Cervantes, Orange County SC – 17 years, 4 months vs. San Antonio FC (3-19-20)
4. Saif Kerewala, Tacoma Defiance – 18 years, 1 month, 2 days vs. Portland Timbers 2 (7-24-15)
5. Abraham Rodriguez, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC – 18 years, 1 month, 8 days vs. El Paso Locomotive FC (8-22-20)

GUENZATTI, MARTINEZ REACH 60 REGULAR SEASON GOALS PLATEAU

Indy Eleven’s Sebastian Guenzatti and Birmingham Legion FC’s Enzo Martinez each recorded the 60th regular season goals of their careers in the USL Championship on Saturday night, with Guenzatti’s goal against Monterey Bay F.C. his first regular season goal for the Boys in Blue and Martinez’s his first of the new season for Legion FC.

The two remain tied in 10th place in the league’s all-time regular season goalscoring list, but for Martinez the tally moved him within a notable landmark for his career. The 32-year-old is now sitting on 99 combined goals and assists in the Championship’s regular season and could become only the fifth player to reach the century mark on Sunday night when Birmingham plays host to Hartford Athletic.

Martinez has company in that regard, however, in Solomon Asante. In addition to his assist on Guenzatti’s goal marking the 48th regular season helper of his career, it also moved the two-time Championship MVP to 99 combined goals and assists as Indy prepares to face Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC this Saturday night.

Most Combined Regular Season Goals & Assists in USL Championship
1. Dane Kelly – 132 (106 goals & 26 assists)
2. Jorge Herrera – 107 (72 goals & 35 assists)
T-3. Hadji Barry – 103 (79 goals & 24 assists)
T-3. Corey Hertzog – 103 (74 goals & 29 assists)
T-5. Enzo Martinez – 99 (60 goals & 39 assists)
T-5. Solomon Asante – 99 (51 goals & 48 assists)

INDY’S QUINN, ASANTE CLOSE IN ON HALF-CENTURY OF ASSISTS

Indy Eleven’s Aodhan Quinn and Solomon Asante each recorded their first assists of the 2023 Championship season this past Saturday against Monterey Bay F.C. to move both closer to reaching 50 regular season helpers for their careers in the Championship.

Quinn now sits on 49 regular season assists, while Asante has 48 as the Boys in Blue prepare to host Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC this weekend. When they reach the mark, they will join current Hounds midfielder Kenardo Forbes (55 assists) and Hartford Athletic’s Danny Barrera (51 assists) in doing so.

Quinn and Asante are also both close to becoming the first players in the league’s history to record 50 goals and 50 assists in the regular season. Asante has already surpassed the half-century mark in goals with 51 in his career, while Quinn isn’t far off with 46 regular season goals.

SAN DIEGO LOYAL SC CONTINUES PERFECT HOME START

With its victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Sunday afternoon, San Diego Loyal SC remained the lone USL Championship club this season with a perfect record at home in the league this season. SD Loyal has won four out of four at Torero Stadium, scoring seven times and conceding only once.

Head Coach Nate Miller’s side still has a way to go before it matches the longest home winning streak to start a regular season in the Championship’s history, however. In 2017, Real Monarchs SLC won its first nine games at home, scoring 27 goals and conceding only nine on the way to earning the best record in the regular season that campaign.

Longest Home Winning Streaks to start a USL Championship Regular Season
9 – Real Monarchs SLC, 2017
7 – Orlando City SC, 2013
6 – Phoenix Rising FC, 2020; Rochester Rhinos, 2015
5 – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, 2022; Tampa Bay Rowdies, 2021; Louisville City FC, 2018; Tacoma Defiance, 2015, Richmond Kickers, 2011

MONTEREY BAY F.C. JOINS FIRST-TIME WINNERS CLUB

Monterey Bay F.C. took victory against the San Jose Earthquakes in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday night, giving the club a win in its first Open Cup contest against opposition from Major League Soccer. It marked the sixth time since the 2015 edition of the tournament that a team from the USL Championship has taken victory in its first meeting with a top-flight opponent, following the likes of Detroit City FC a season ago, and New Mexico United in 2019.

2023 – Monterey Bay F.C. – 1-0 vs. San Jose Earthquakes (Third Round)
2022 – Detroit City FC – 2-1 vs. Columbus Crew SC (Third Round)
2019 – New Mexico United – 2-2 (4-2PKs) at Colorado Rapids (Fourth Round)
2018 – Nashville SC – 2-0 vs. Colorado Rapids (Fourth Round)
2017 – FC Cincinnati – 1-0 vs. Columbus Crew SC (Fourth Round)
2015 – Charlotte Independence – 1-0 vs. New England Revolution (Fourth Round)

Upcoming Player Milestones

Appearances
Approaching 200 regular-season appearances
Danny Barrera (HFD) – 198

Approaching 150 regular-season appearances
Forrest Lasso (TBR) – 149
Eric Bird (TUL) – 149
Bradley Bourgeois (TUL) – 149
Lucky Mkosana (TBR) – 148
Aaron Guillen (TBR) – 148
Duke Lacroix (COS) – 148

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Sam Gleadle (MB) – 98
Aidan Apodaca (CHS) – 97
Joe Kuzminsky (COS) – 97
Collin Martin (SD) – 96
Nick Ross (SAC) – 96

Minutes
Approaching 20,000 regular-season minutes
Josh Suggs (NM) – 19,633

Approaching 15,000 regular-season minutes
Bolu Akinyode (MIA) – 14,926
Brent Richards (OC) – 14,729
James Musa (COS) – 14,639

Approaching 10,000 regular-season minutes
Mark Segbers (MIA) – 9,851

Goals
Approaching 75 regular season goals
Neco Brett (BHM) – 72

Approaching 50 regular-season goals
Lucky Mkosana (TBR) – 48

Assists
Approaching 50 regular season assists
Aodhan Quinn (IND) – 49
Solomon Asante (IND) – 48

Approaching 40 regular season assists
Enzo Martinez (BHM) – 39

Approaching 30 regular season assists
Oscar Jimenez (LOU) – 29
Justin Portillo (NM) – 28
Niall McCabe (LOU) – 27
Charlie Adams (SD) – 27

Saves
Approaching 300 regular season saves
Connor Sparrow (TBR) – 288

Shutouts
Approaching 40 regular-season shutouts
Matt VanOekel (BHM) – 38

Approaching 30 regular-season shutouts
Joe Kuzminsky (COS) – 29
Danny Vitiello (SAC) – 27 

Discipline Report – Week 8

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 8 of the 2023 USL Championship season:

The Charleston Battery’s Augustine Williams has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Louisville City FC on April 22. Williams will be unavailable for selection in Charleston’s contest against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday night.

Phoenix Rising FC’s Carlos Harvey has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against San Antonio FC on April 22. Harvey will be unavailable for selection in Phoenix’s contest against Loudoun United FC on Saturday night.