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USL Power Rankings - Week 7

By USLSoccer.com Staff, 04/30/18, 5:45PM EDT

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Undefeated Riverhounds SC cracks Top 10 after best start in club history

There’s little major movement near the top of the USLSoccer.com Power Rankings this week, save for the Tampa Bay Rowdies’ third loss in its past five games resulting in a tumble down the order, the story this week of Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s entry into the Top 10 for the first time.

Off to the best start in the club’s 19-year history, Riverhounds SC is making a solid mark in the Eastern Conference with its six-game undefeated streak to start the season, a run that continued with its win against a solid ATL UTD 2 side this past Saturday. Having conceded only two goals in six games Pittsburgh is looking like a solid playoff contender so far, sitting in the top four in conference standings.

Arguably the only thing holding the Hounds back from a higher spot than No. 8 is its lack of a statement victory, with the side’s 2-2 draw with FC Cincinnati nine days ago currently looking like the only major test Riverhounds SC has encountered so far. With games next month against Indy Eleven at home and on the road at the Rowdies, though, we’re going to find out pretty soon how for-real the Hounds are.

The four-person USLSoccer.com voting panel tabulates 16 points for first-place team votes, 15 points to the second-place team and so forth to one point for 16th place. The accrued points among the group determines the final ranking.

Rank

 

Team/Record

Change

Summary

1 Louisville City FC
64 pts | (5-0-1)
Week 7: W, 3-1 BST
Week 8: @IND

Last Week: 1
Still undefeated, still unanimously at the top of the tree after a fifth victory out of six games on Saturday, with Cameron Lancaster’s brace leading the way in victory against Bethlehem Steel FC.
2 Orange County SC
58 pts | (5-2-1)
Week 7: L, 0-2 @RGV, W, 1-0 COS
Week 8: @SLC

Last Week: 2
Orange County had a mixed week but holds onto second spot thanks to a bounce-back victory against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC that jumped the side top of the Western Conference with five wins in its last six games.
3 Real Monarchs SLC
52 pts | (4-1-0)
Week 7: --
Week 8: LV, OC

Last Week: 3
The Monarchs get to open their new home on Monday night against Las Vegas Lights FC aiming to gain ground on the clubs above it in the West after last week’s bye.
4 Sacramento Republic FC
46 pts | (4-0-3)
Week 7: T, 1-1 TUL
Week 8: @POR, @SEA
1
Last Week: 5
Republic FC is still undefeated, just, thanks to Luis Espino’s late equalizer against Tulsa Roughnecks FC. A trip to the Pacific Northwest awaits this week to face both Portland and Seattle.
T-5 Phoenix Rising FC
43 pts | (3-1-3)
Week 7: T, 1-1 FRS
Week 8: LA
3
Last Week: 8
Rising FC deserves credit for hanging in well enough with 10 men against Fresno FC to grab a late equalizer for a second consecutive week, but these dropped home points could be costly later.
T-5 Swope Park Rangers
47 pts | (3-1-3)
Week 7: T, 1-1 STL
Week 8: @OKC
1
Last Week: T-6
The Rangers couldn’t hold on late for a second consecutive outing in a 1-1 draw with Saint Louis FC, the third in a row since their April 4th victory against Colorado Springs.
7 New York Red Bulls II
41 pts | (3-1-3)
Week 7: T, 1-1 @TOR
Week 8: @OTT, NSH
1
Last Week: T-6
The Red Bulls II still can’t find a way to win on the road this season, but they do at least continue to pick up points from their travels, which continue Wednesday in Ottawa.
8 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
34 pts | (3-0-3)
Week 7: W, 1-0 ATL
Week 8: @TOR
3
Last Week: 11
The Hounds keep moving up the Eastern standings, and after claiming a four-goal victory against Toronto FC II earlier this season will be hopeful of something similar Saturday keep their undefeated start going.
9 FC Cincinnati
33 pts | (3-1-2)
Week 7: W, 3-0 @OTT
Week 8: @IND, ATL
1
Last Week: 10
Cincinnati looked like the team we thought it could be in the second half against Ottawa Fury FC, but it will likely need that for a full 90 minutes to get a result in Indy in one of this week’s must-see matchups.
10 Indy Eleven
31 pts | (3-1-1)
Week 7: T, 0-0 @CLT
Week 8: CIN, LOU
1
Last Week: 9
A scoreless draw in Charlotte is good enough, but now it’s rivalry week for the Eleven as they host both FC Cincinnati and Louisville City FC for a pair of major matchups at Lucas Oil Stadium.
11 Tampa Bay Rowdies
28 pts | (4-3-0)
Week 7: L, 0-1 @CHS
Week 8: @PEN
7
Last Week: 4
The splits between the Rowdies at home and away are bringing back echoes of a season ago, which isn’t great news for Tampa Bay considering it has two more games on its road trip to go. A visit to Penn FC and former player Tommy Heineman is next on Friday.
12 Saint Louis FC
24 pts | (3-1-3)
Week 7: T, 1-1 @SPR
Week 8: POR
2
Last Week: 14
Saint Louis has a five-game undefeated streak going after Saturday’s late rally against the Swope Park Rangers and hasn’t conceded more than one goal in a contest since March 24.
T-13 Charleston Battery
12 pts | (3-2-2)
Week 7: W, 3-0 @ATL, W, 1-0 TBR
Week 8: CLT

Last Week: NR
The Battery move back into the rankings after back-to-back victories last week that appeared to see the club find the right system as it moves into this week’s rivalry clash with the Charlotte Independence.
T-13 Fresno FC
12 pts | (2-1-5)
Week 7: T, 1-1 @PHX
Week 8: @SA
2
Last Week: T-15
The Foxes’ fourth consecutive draw again felt like points left on the table after conceding a late equalizer to 10-man Phoenix Rising FC, finding a way to close those games out is going to be key moving forward.
15 Las Vegas Lights FC
7 pts | (2-1-2)
Week 7: L, 1-3 SA
Week 8: @SLC, TUL
3
Last Week: 12
A tough defensive outing saw Lights FC’s undefeated start come to an end on Friday night and it doesn’t get much easier on Monday night as the guest for the opening of Real Monarchs SLC’s new stadium.
T-16 North Carolina FC
5 pts | (2-3-2)
Week 7: W, 3-0 PEN
Week 8: --

Last Week: NR
Eight points from the past four games has seen North Carolina right the ship ahead of a break in regular-season action, with Saturday’s victory the most impressive display so far this season.
T-16 San Antonio FC
5 pts | (2-2-3)
Week 7: W, 3-1 @LV
Week 8: @FRS

Last Week: NR
Friday night’s win in Las Vegas was definitely a step in the right direction for SAFC, which will be hoping its attack can maintain its momentum in an early-season rematch with Fresno on Saturday.

Also receiving votes: Nashville SC 3, Charlotte Independence 1, Reno 1868 FC 1

Dropped from rankings: Nashville SC, Atlanta United 2

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