The fourth month of the season got underway on Saturday night and featured a standout display by one of the Eastern Conference’s contenders, a new leader at the top of the Players’ Shield standings, and the continuation of two of the longest winning streaks of the season so far.

Here are 11 storylines we took away from the action, and some other thoughts on what transpired. 

1. ROWDIES PUT IN DOMINANT DISPLAY

It’s not often you see a team go into Heart Health Park and dictate the terms of how and where the game is going to be played to Sacramento Republic FC.

That’s exactly what the Tampa Bay Rowdies did on Saturday night, however, as the visitors earned a 1-0 victory that might have ended up more comfortable than the final score indicated if not for a sterling display in net by Republic FC’s Danny Vitiello.

The one misjudgment the reigning Championship Goalkeeper of the Year made proved costly as he came for and didn’t get to a long clearance by counterpart Jordan Farr that Charlie Dennis latched onto, rounding Vitiello before finishing into an open net.

That it was the only goal the Rowdies scored masked how dominant the visitors were. They pressed high, won more physical battles, completed more passes in the attacking half than Republic FC, and allowed less than 20 percent of the game to be played in its defensive third.  

“Overall, I think it was a pretty complete performance,” said Dennis. “We did everything the right way, moved the ball really well, didn’t really let them grow into the game at all. Coming away from home and traveling across the country, yeah, I'm really proud of the boys. It was a good performance tonight.”

2. SWITCHBACKS’ SOLIDITY FUELS TURNAROUND

To hear Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Head Coach James Chambers and his teammates tell it, their performance in a 1-0 win against Oakland Roots SC on Saturday night wasn’t of the level they were aiming for.

“This wasn’t our best game quality-wise, but I think it was a big character win,” said Switchbacks goalkeeper Christian Herrera. “We grinded, we bent, but we didn’t break. We took a lot of pressure, and handled it with a lot of calmness. I’m happy to make some saves. I’m happy we are a team that can take pressure and not break. That’s a sign of a good team. So, I think we are growing a lot game by game.”

While it’s certainly true the Switchbacks had to absorb pressure at times – and escaped a big situation when an initially awarded penalty for Roots was overturned after center referee consulted with his assistant and ruled a ball that hit the arm of Zach Zandi in the box had deflected off the heel of Oakland player Camden Riley, leaving Zandi no opportunity to react – the hosts also kept Roots’ premium chances to a minimum, allowing only five shots inside the penalty area of Oakland’s 13 overall.

That’s been a trend in Colorado Springs’ revival after a horror start to the season that saw the side lose five in a row. During the Switchbacks’ current five-game winning streak the side has recorded four shutouts and held its opponents to a combined 3.62 Expected Goals mark. That level of defensive organization is something strong to build on as the side edges above the playoff line.

3. TIMING IS EVERYTHING FOR INDY

It’s not just the fact that Indy Eleven has become one of the most consistent goalscoring sides in the Championship – after Saturday night’s 2-1 victory against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, they’re still the only team that’s yet to be shut out in a Championship game this season – but it’s the timeliness with which they score that makes it so effective.

Pittsburgh put Indy under all sorts of early pressure on Saturday night at Highmark Stadium – including a redirection from Kazaiah Sterling that somehow came back off the crossbar from within the six-yard area. Having rode that out, the Boys in Blue took the lead midway through the half on Josh O’Brien’s clinical header, taking some of the air out of a loud home crowd.

The visitors then added a second just 54 seconds into the second half as Sebastian Guenzatti swept home a great cross by Augustine Williams, and while it probably didn’t change much in terms of the message the Hounds got sent out with to try and find a way back into the game from Head Coach Bob Lilley, conceding that quickly after the restart was a jolt.

Indy had to ride its luck at times after that – the wild 56th-minute scramble in the penalty area most obviously – but it came through for another three points. Now the Boys in Blue have six wins in a row, their longest winning streak since joining the Championship, and have everything they need to keep rolling.

4. FLORIAN VALOT KEEPS SHINING IN LOUDOUN

You’d think after notching a goal and assist to take Player of the Match honors in Loudoun United FC’s 3-0 win against FC Tulsa on Saturday night there would be a certain level of happiness in his performance by midfielder Florian Valot.

And that’s where you’d be wrong.

“A lot to improve for myself, but big effort from the team to keep the clean sheet and get a third win in a row,” said Valot after the game. “We are playing with confidence, we are playing our football and we are having fun. Even though we didn’t play to our standards today, we put in a performance that got the win and did the job.”

This is likely part of the reason why the 31-year-old was brought in by United this offseason to add now only quality but a mentality that can help pull up the rest of the squad. Valot has three goals and three assists in 12 appearances this year but it’s been his all-around play that has stood out, helping Loudoun get out a funk in early May with three consecutive victories. There’s a lot good going on for United right now, and it’s got them back into playoff contention.

5. MONTEREY BAY’S SIAHA TAKES THE SPOTLIGHT

Antony Siaha has produced back-to-back shutouts before in his career for Monterey Bay F.C. – since joining the club in its inaugural season in 2022, he’s posted 17 in 47 appearances overall – but none have been achieved under the duress of the past week.

And as positively Monterey Bay played on Sunday evening in its 1-0 victory against Western Conference leader New Mexico United, all of it would likely have gone for naught if not for Siaha’s seven-save performance. Yes, one of the penalty kicks he faced – the first by United’s Zico Bailey – rang the left post before Siaha could get near it, but his denial of Mukwelle Akale with eight minutes to go ensured Chuy Enriquez’s goal stood up as a winner at Cardinale Stadium.

Combined over the past two games – including Wednesday night’s scoreless draw against the Charleston Battery – Siaha posted 13 saves and a Goals Prevented mark of -3.55. While he’s still sometimes prone to moments that leave you puzzled, at the top of his game the Cameroonian can be brilliant. He showed it again on Sunday.

6. ORANGE COUNTY FINDS MUCH-NEEDED WIN

One of the principal problems Orange County SC was encountering in its three-game losing streak in league play was a lack of assertiveness in the attacking third. In three consecutive games it had been held below 10 shots overall and had only nine efforts on target.

Both of those ratios improved notably on Saturday night against Detroit City FC as the hosts took 15 shots and put seven on target in a much-needed 3-2 victory that due to the congested nature of the middle of the Western Conference saw the side jump back into the top four in the standings. In a back-and-forth contest, United States youth international Bryce Jamison scored the winner after Thomas Amang and Kyle Scott also struck to send Le Rouge to a second consecutive defeat.

“We needed it for sure,” said assistant coach Paul Hardyman, on the touchline as Head Coach Morten Karlsen served a one-game suspension. “After a few defeats, you always want to bounce back, and tonight was important that we did that. The performance wasn't pretty, but it was workmanlike and we got the best out of the lads that we could tonight. Kyle Scott got his first goal for the club and Bryce Jameson coming on, and the scoring was an added bonus.”

OCSC is still going to need more from its forward corps. The side currently has the second-lowest Expected Goals mark in the league at 10.82xG and only has 10 big chances in 12 games – the Tampa Bay Rowdies lead the league with 30 in as many games – but this was at least something to build on.

7. FANS SET TONE FOR HARTFORD, RHODE ISLAND RIVALRY

As first meetings go, Hartford Athletic and Rhode Island FC’s first tussle on Saturday night at Trinity Health Stadium didn’t quite catch fire in the way it might.

After Rhode Island took an early lead through Mark Doyle – whose employment alongside Albert Dikwa and JJ Williams in a three-player front line seemed to have the desired effect – and Hartford leveled through a good set piece finish by Joe Farrell, the game ended all square in a 1-1 draw that felt like a fair result.

Off the field, though, the atmosphere at a sold-out venue with a large travelling contingent of Rhode Island fans led by Defiance 1636 members and the tifos rolled out by the Hartford Bonanza made for a day to remember for both clubs. This should set the stage for a great rivalry to grow from.

“I thought it was great,” said Hartford Head Coach Brendan Burke. “It’s so cool to have huge away support like that for the opposing team and it just brings a different energy to the building, and our fans have been great all the way through, so I’m looking forward to seeing this rivalry develop over the next couple of years.”

8. TYLER PASHER’S DYNAMISM POWERS LEGION

Birmingham Legion FC knew it needed to find a way to ignite its attack after scoring only nine goals in its first 11 regular season games of the season.

With that in mind, you could certainly do a lot worse than tossing the keys to Tyler Pasher to drive the attack.

The Canadian was a standout in Legion’s 3-1 victory against El Paso Locomotive FC on Saturday night, capping his performance with a signature left-footed finish to the top-left corner we’ve seen many times before. What he did alongside that finish, however, was what stood out. Playing in the left channel alongside Enzo Martinez as a quasi-No. 9, the Canadian was constantly involved in possession. His 56 touches were third-most for Legion. He recorded 18 passes in the final third and took 10 touches in the El Paso penalty area.

In the process, Birmingham’s lineup consistently found seams to attack and deliver a deserved victory.   

“He was so active tonight and caused them a lot of issues,” said Legion Head Coach Tom Soehn of Pasher. “He could’ve had even more goals because we missed him a couple of times when he got in behind and then their ‘keeper made kind of a lucky save on a really good shot from him.”

That dynamism – alongside similar from Martinez and Prosper Kasim – is what can take Birmingham’s strong defensive foundation and force opponents to have a head on a swivel in their defensive third. It could also be a ton of fun to watch in the next few weeks.

9. SAN ANTONIO, MCINTOSH COME THROUGH

At a certain point for teams in a downward slide, all that matters is the result.

That moment came for San Antonio FC on Saturday night as it eked out a 1-0 win against Memphis 901 FC at Toyota Field behind a nicely taken finish by Juan Agudelo and a stellar four-save shutout by Kendall McIntosh. After four games without a win, picking up all three points was big for the 2022 Championship title winner.

“I think that we’ve been preaching to just trust the process,” said McIntosh. “These are the results that we expect, and these are the games that we need to win. I think that obviously, every time you get through a tough game, you feel that relief, but also happiness, and then at the same time, you feel more belief in our product and what we've been doing.”

As big as the result was, the numbers from the contest said San Antonio’s process still isn’t there. Memphis outshot its hosts by an almost 3-to-1 margin while SAFC’s attacks typically petered out before applying consistent pressure to the 901 FC net. There’s an opportunity for another win against an ailing El Paso Locomotive FC on Wednesday night, but the performance the hosts put in on CBS Sports Network might be just as informative as to whether this side is a contender.

10. LOUCITY REMINDED, NO EASY GAMES

Louisville City FC has been making the game look easy at home this season – see our story from last Wednesday night’s game against Detroit City FC – but on the road it’s proven much more of a slog to get the results.

See Saturday night’s visit to last-placed Miami FC, which for a third straight season gave Louisville an almighty scare before succumbing to a 2-1 defeat on Sean Totsch’s late penalty kick.

“I thought we started the game really well,” said LouCity Head Coach Danny Cruz. “The first half was pretty good, and in the second half it was pretty clear we fatigued – tired out. We grinded, we fought, and we defended the box. We made some mistakes, yes, but there’s a lot to be proud of with everything these players have been through the past month.”

Louisville was on the road a lot in May, spending more than half the month on the road between the league and U.S. Open Cup, and it managed to pull out a valuable three points to move ahead of Charleston in the Eastern Conference. As good as this side is, though, it was reminded there aren’t really any gimmes on the road anymore.

11. PHOENIX’S RÍOS NOVO SLAMS DOOR SHUT

There have been games this season in which Phoenix Rising FC hasn’t been at its best.

It’s fortunate, then, that it has Rocco Ríos Novo in its back pocket to help out.

The Argentine was on top form on Saturday night in the side’s 0-0 draw against Las Vegas Lights FC as his 10-save shutout set a new season-high for the most stops in game this season and the second-high single-game Goals Prevented mark (-2.3) behind Orange County SC’s Colin Shutler against Orange County SC on April 27.

For Las Vegas, then, it was a night of silver linings and missed opportunity.

“I feel for the guys because it feels like another game where we could have had three points,” said Lights Head Coach Dennis Sanchez. “The goals are almost there. Phoenix is a good team, there’s a reason why they won the Championship last year and have a lot of returning players. We’re going to keep building on our performances and know that we’re very close to making these ties, or even games we’re losing, into wins.”

While they’ve had ups and downs, the Lights don’t feel far off a breakthrough. The challenge? Finding a way to get a result when you’re on top – see the 1-1 draw at San Antonio FC as another example – and that might end up being the measure of whether this season is a success or something else in the end.

And now for some other thoughts on what we saw in this weekend’s action…

- New Mexico United’s struggles from the penalty spot are becoming serious. Who’s going to be their Sean Totsch?

- FC Tulsa’s Phillip Goodrum called his side’s defeat in Loudoun, “a disappointing night all around.” The lack of goals this side is producing is becoming a concern.

- At some point, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC is going to start scoring, and it will come good, right? Kaziah Sterling can’t stay this jinxed forever.

- Getting sent off three minutes into your first appearance after going on loan has got to suck. Sorry to Memphis 901 FC acquisition Nick DePuy, better luck next outing.

- We really liked the nicknames for the rabbit at Orange County SC on Saturday night – Rabbito Conejo, anyone?