CHARLESTON, S.C. – The past two Eastern Conference title-winners will meet for a second consecutive postseason when the No. 2-seed Charleston Battery play host to No. 7-seed Rhode Island FC on Sunday afternoon in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2025 USL Championship Playoffs presented by Terminix, with the Battery aiming to get revenge after their defeat at home to RIFC when the teams met in last year’s playoffs. Kickoff at Patriots Point is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network. Here’s what you need to know.

How They Got Here

Charleston Battery (19-6-5, 62pts) – The Battery earned their third consecutive postseason appearance since the arrival of Head Coach Ben Pirmann while recording the club’s most wins in a season in the USL Championship era and equaling its all-time single-season record from the 2002 campaign in the USL A-League. Charleston was powered by the best attack in the Championship as Cal Jennings (17 goals) and MD Myers (15 goals) accounted for just over half of the side’s 62 regular season tallies, while Juan David Torres posted 10 assists, becoming only the third player to do so in a regular season for the Battery in the USL-C era. The Battery were outstanding at home, posting a 12-1-2 record at Patriots Point that included an 11-game winning streak, and will now try to make their second trip in three seasons to the USL Championship Final.

Rhode Island FC (10-12-8, 38pts) – Rhode Island earned its second consecutive trip to the postseason as it battled above the playoff line in the final third of the regular season, overcoming the attacking challenges the side had faced for much of the year. Five of the club’s 10 regular season wins came over the final nine games of the regular season, including a six-game undefeated streak that earned the side its playoff berth with a game to spare. The club’s undefeated run saw it post four shutouts, emphasizing the defensive strength of the team which saw goalkeeper Koke Vegas record 11 shutouts and finish second in the race for the Golden Glove with a 0.86 goals-against average. The side struggled to find consistency in front of goal, however, sitting as one of only two teams in the Eastern Conference to average less than a goal per game with JJ Williams leading the side with seven tallies in the regular season.

All-Time Series

Rhode Island FC holds a narrow 2-1-2 advantage in the series between the two clubs, having taken a 2-1 victory against the Battery last season at Patriots Point in the Eastern Conference Final a season ago behind goals from Karifa Yao and Noah Fuson.

Opta Says

23 – The Charleston Battery were the fastest starters in either half in the league in attack, recording 11 goals in the opening 15 minutes of the first half and 12 goals in the opening 15 minutes of the second half in the regular season.

29 – Rhode Island FC’s 29 regular season goals were the fewest of any team in the USL Championship Playoffs as the side ranked 21st in the league with a 12.2 percent shot conversion rate.

Players to Watch

Charleston Battery – Cal Jennings: The veteran forward led the Battery with 17 goals in the regular season and notched a career-high six assists to end the campaign with 23 goal contributions, his highest mark in a regular season.

Rhode Island FC – JJ Williams: The powerful forward was a difference-maker for RIFC’s attack when he was on the field, with the side averaging 1.3 goals per game in games in which he appeared and 0.7 goals per game when he was absent, giving Williams league-best +0.25 Goals Added-per-90 mark for the regular season.

Uniforms

Discipline Report

Charleston Battery – No suspensions

Rhode Island FC – No suspensions

Officials
REF: Elton Garcia
AR1: Chris Schurfranz
AR2: Matt Trotter
4TH: Thomas Snyder