INDIANAPOLIS – JJ Williams scored his second hat trick in as many games to lead Rhode Island FC to a 3-2 victory against Indy Eleven on Sunday afternoon at Michael A. Carroll Stadium in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs presented by Terminix, sending the first-year club through in its inaugural playoff game after a hard-fought clash on the road.

Rhode Island will now head to face Louisville City FC in the Eastern Conference Semifinals next Saturday night at Lynn Family Stadium having been the lone side to defeat the Players’ Shield winner on its home turf this season.

After a choppy opening, RIFC gained momentum and was given the chance to open the scoring from the penalty spot in the 19th minute when a corner kick from the left came to Grant Stoneman at the back post, where his goal-bound header came off the arm of Indy’s Brem Soumaoro. Williams stepped up and fired home to the top-left corner of the net to bag RIFC’s first postseason goal in club history.

Indy almost responded immediately as a low cross from the right found Augustine Williams in the center of the penalty area, only for his shot to be deflected off target. It wasn’t until later in the first half the hosts tested Rhode Island goalkeeper Koke Vegas as Jack Blake’s powerful free kick to the right corner was parried wide of the right post. But from the ensuing corner kick Indy leveled as a high clearance came to the top of the penalty area where Aodhan Quinn struck a volley that took a deflection as it came through a crowd of defenders before finding the back of the net.

It took only three minutes for Williams to put Rhode Island back on top. Off a quick throw-in, Jojea Kwizera combined with Noah Fuson, who set up Williams, who mishit his first-time effort, but was able to stab home a second attempt into the right corner of the net. The 6-foot-4 center forward then completed his hat trick seven minutes into the second half as he powered home a header from just outside the six-yard area off a cross from the left by Kwizera to give the visitors a two-goal advantage.

The Boys in Blue appeared to have pulled a goal back just before the hour-mark when Romario Williams found the net with a header off a cross from the right, only for the flag to be raised for offside. With 14 minutes to go there was no flag to be found as Douglas Martinez Jr. redirected a header off a looping cross from Quinn as his recycled a corner from the right allowed the hosts to make it a one-goal game.

The hosts then gained a player advantage late in regulation when an injury to RIFC’s Stephen Turnbull forced him from the game with Rhode Island having used all three substitution windows and unable to replace him. Indy push forward and almost found an equalizer in the seventh minute of stoppage time when Romario Williams caught a delivery by Blake on the half-volley in the center of the penalty area to force a low save from Vegas. Rhode Island was able to see out the remaining minutes, though, to secure a place in the next round.

Three Things That Mattered

1. SEND IT IN JEROME: One of the early signings in Rhode Island FC’s history, JJ Williams showed why the club sent a transfer fee the way of the Tampa Bay Rowdies last December in the club’s postseason debut. A week after scoring the first hat trick in club history to close the regular season, Williams bagged the second on a much bigger stage. The consistent presence the 6-foot-4 striker provided was a handful for Indy to handle all afternoon, and the powerful header that capped his performance was superbly taken. RIFC built momentum into the postseason, and Williams carried that through into its playoff debut.

2. BACKS TO THE WALL: Given the overall tenor of the game, you’d have thought it was being played between two teams that had more than a two-game history between them, but Rhode Island showed its preparedness for the physicality the postseason can bring and held on admirably after Stephen Turnbull’s injury forced him out of the game only moments after he’d come on as a late reinforcement. RIFC won 52 percent of duels – including 61 percent of aerial duels – as Frank Nodarse (9), Karifa Yao (7) and Grant Stoneman (7) led the way in clearances. Rhode Island will need more of the same next week as it heads to face Louisville City FC with the goal of repeating its June victory when it first visited Lynn Family Stadium.

3. BOYS IN BLUE STIFLED: Indy Eleven was never truly out of the game but in a contest that had momentum swings back and forth it felt like the hosts were always reacting to what Rhode Island was being able to achieve, especially in the final third, and the lack of great chances for the hosts ultimately proved key. Indy got into the final third more consistently than Rhode Island but from there it was unable to create enough clear-cut opportunities that could threaten Koke Vegas in the RIFC net. While Aodhan Quinn starred with a goal and assist, Indy’s wait for a first postseason victory since 2019 will go on.

USLChampionship.com Player of the Game

JJ Williams, Rhode Island FC – The center forward scored all three goals for the visitors and recorded four shots on target overall while winning 3 of 4 aerial duels in a strong performance leading the attacking line.

Scoring Summary
RI – JJ Williams (penalty kick) 19’
IND – Aodhan Quinn 35’
RI – JJ Williams 38’
RI – JJ Williams (Jojea Kwizera) 52’
IND – Douglas Martinez (Aodhan Quinn) 76’

Full Box Score