Ray Serrano and Jansen Wilson each found the net as Louisville City FC took a 2-0 victory against Detroit City FC on Saturday evening before a crowd of 9,004 fans at Lynn Family Stadium.

The result moved LouCity into sole possession of first place in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference at the end of the first month of the season and left the side as one of four undefeated teams in the Championship going into Saturday night’s slate.

Here are three things we learned from the contest

1. RAY SERRANO KEEPS DELIVERING DECISIVE MOMENTS

Last season was a breakthrough campaign for Ray Serrano, who was a finalist for the USL Championship Young Player of the Year award after a career-high 14 goal contributions (8 goals, 6 assists) in Louisville City’s outstanding regular season. This year, he’s out to another flying start with three goals in his first four games, but as importantly he’s making big plays at decisive moments in the final third.

Each of Serrano’s goals this season have been the opening goal in the club’s three victories, including the game-winners on Saturday evening against Detroit City and last weekend at home to Loudoun United FC. The incisiveness with which he’s taking opportunities – see today’s low strike off a fine pass by Zach Duncan – is a sign of a player who remains hungry to go further than he did a season ago. As he approaches his 23rd birthday in May, he’s leveling up once again.

2. LOUCITY TILTED THE FIELD WITH SEAN TOTSCH’S POSITIONING

One of Louisville City’s hallmarks is the pressure they apply in the attacking half, especially at Lynn Family Stadium. As the side claimed its 11th consecutive home victory in the USL Championship’s regular season, that was again a key element to the result with almost twice as much of the game being played in Detroit City’s defensive third (35.7%) as in LouCity’s end (18.3%).

One of the ways LouCity kept Detroit pinned into its own half was the positioning of right center back Sean Totsch, who was consistently pushing into Le Rouge’s half to help the hosts win or maintain possession. Take a look at Totsch’s touch map for the game, below, with LouCity going left to right in the image.

That’s a lot of touches in the right channel for one of the league’s most experienced players, and illustrates how LouCity was able to tilt the field effectively against its visitor. Totsch ended the game with a team-high 57 touches, and while he wasn’t maybe as clean as he’d have liked on the ball, his presence in Louisville’s defensive structure made life difficult for Le Rouge when they tried to break out.

3. DETROIT CAN’T FIND LOUISVILLE BREAKTHROUGH

Entering level on points with LouCity in first place in the Eastern Conference, this was an opportunity for Detroit City to show it could be a match for the reigning Players’ Shield holder on their home turf. After the bright attacking displays Le Rouge showed in their opening three games of the campaign, however, this was a step back and left the side with its fifth defeat in five all-time visits to Lynn Family Stadium.

Detroit has scored only twice in that five-game run, and while it created some chances against LouCity on Saturday the side’s finishing wasn’t sharp enough to seriously test Damian Las as he picked up a second consecutive shutout. An early header by Darren Smith didn’t have the necessary snap to it, while Alex Villanueva’s free kick in the second half produced a save that was more spectacular than the danger the shot provided might have needed.

DCFC will certainly be ready to bounce back from this, with an intriguing game up next at home to Monterey Bay FC, but this performance didn’t come up to the required mark.