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USL Power Rankings - Week 11

By USLSoccer.com Staff, 05/28/18, 6:00PM EDT

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Louisville reclaims top spot as T2 makes big jump up

After a fascinating weekend of results, there was little question that Louisville City FC would return to the top spot in the USLSoccer.com Power Rankings, with a second road victory against FC Cincinnati this season sending both the numerous fans that made the trip up Interstate 71 home happy, but also giving the defending USL Cup champion a nice edge at the top of the Eastern Conference.

What made Saturday’s win that much more impressive, though, was the way Louisville seemed to consistently be sharper on the ball and in its defensive organization, a which is a reflection on its Head Coach, James O’Connor, whose exacting nature has meant his side has been at the top of the Eastern Conference since its inception in 2015. Producing the big performance in the biggest games isn’t an accident, and recently Louisville has arguably done that more than any other club in the league.

There might be something of O’Connor in the man now leading the way for the Portland Timbers 2, with the New Zealander having helped produce a side that has gone from also-ran to contender in the span of an offseason. Portland moves up five places to No. 3 in this week’s rankings, with Knowles having created a turnaround in mental approach and on-field excitment that is already among the most impressive in the league’s modern history.

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
62 pts | (7-2-1)
Week 11: W, 2-0 @CIN
Week 12: --
2
Last Week: 3
Louisville regains top spot after its victory in Cincinnati, which also moved the club within three points of Real Monarchs SLC for the best record in the league with a game in hand.
2 Real Monarchs SLC
55 pts | (8-2-1)
Week 11: L, 0-1 @POR
Week 12: SAC
1
Last Week: 1
The Monarchs seemed off the pace for much of its loss to Portland on Saturday afternoon, and will need a strong bounce-back display with Sacramento coming to visit on Tuesday night.
3 Portland Timbers 2
54 pts | (7-3-2)
Week 11: W, 1-0 SLC
Week 12: @SA
5
Last Week: 8
T2 is one of the best stories of the season so far, and is getting it done at both ends of the field with the side tied for the league-lead with seven shutouts to add to its entertaining attack.
4 Sacramento Republic FC
49 pts | (6-2-3)
Week 11: --
Week 12: @SLC, OC

Last Week: 4
Sacramento had the weekend off, and now gets to see if it can inflict a second consecutive loss on the Monarchs and move within a point of the conference lead.
5 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
48 pts | (4-0-6)
Week 11: T, 0-0 PEN
Week 12: NSH, @RIC

Last Week: 5
Riverhounds SC was left to rue missed opportunities, and got roasted by Head Coach Bob Lilley after the game, as it played to a second 0-0 draw against Penn FC this season.
T-6 Charleston Battery
43 pts | (5-2-4)
Week 11: T, 1-1 NSH
Week 12: @IND

Last Week: 6
The Battery ended what was looking like a big homestand with consecutive draws after Saturday’s 1-1 affair against Nashville, but is now undefeated in eight consecutive league outings.
T-6 FC Cincinnati
43 pts | (6-3-2)
Week 11: L, 0-2 LOU
Week 12: @NY
4
Last Week: 2
The chance was there for Cincinnati to claim control at the top of the Eastern Conference on Saturday, and the side didn’t produce the performance it needed. A trip to the Red Bulls II won’t be a picnic, either.
8 Orange County SC
37 pts | (6-3-2)
Week 11: W, 3-0 FRS
Week 12: @SAC
1
Last Week: 9
Back in the win column after a brief downturn, Orange County is hanging just outside the top four in the West and has a chance to make a big statement on Saturday in Sacramento.
9 Phoenix Rising FC
32 pts | (6-3-3)
Week 11: L, 0-1 @SPR
Week 12: @STL
2
Last Week: 7
Back-to-back defeats have seen Rising FC slip down to third in the standings, and Wednesday night’s game against Saint Louis could be a tricky one with the hosts also looking to rebound.
10 Swope Park Rangers
31 pts | (5-2-4)
Week 11: W, 1-0 PHX
Week 12: @STL

Last Week: 10
The Rangers got exactly the result they needed against Phoenix to solidify its place in the standings, but there are two tricky road trips ahead the side will need to navigate well to stay there.
T-11 Charlotte Independence
21 pts | (5-3-2)
Week 11: W, 3-1 @RIC
Week 12: @OTT
3
Last Week: 14
Three wins in a row have got the Independence right back into the middle of the East’s playoff positions and playing a very entertaining style while they’re at it.
T-11 New York Red Bulls II
21 pts | (4-2-5)
Week 11: W, 4-1 IND
Week 12: CIN
4
Last Week: 15
The Red Bulls II were back to their best in an emphatic victory against Indy that showed no matter the score, the foot doesn’t come off the attacking accelerator for Head Coach John Wolyniec’s side.
13 Nashville SC
11 pts | (3-2-4)
Week 11: T, 1-1 @CHS
Week 12: @PGH, PEN
3
Last Week: 16
Nashville is still on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff positions after a third draw in four games as it heads to Pittsburgh for what should be an intriguing midweek matchup.
14 Reno 1868 FC
9 pts | (4-3-5)
Week 11: W, 2-1 SA
Week 12: @OKC

Last Week: NR
Reno’s club-record eight-game undefeated streak doesn’t have the same sparkle as the ones it surpassed from a season ago, but the club is now firmly in the top eight after a good home win against San Antonio.
15 Tampa Bay Rowdies
7 pts | (5-5-1)
Week 11: W, 4-2 @TOR
Week 12: ATL

Last Week: NR
Everyone in the Rowdies’ camp breathed a major sigh of relief after Saturday’s 4-2 road win in Toronto, especially after conceding a two-goal advantage which could have spelled disaster.
16 Bethlehem Steel FC
17 pts | (4-5-2)
Week 11: L, 0-1 @OTT
Week 12: @NC
5
Last Week: 16
Bethlehem sticks in the rankings despite its defeat to Ottawa Fury FC but will need to be sharper when it visits North Carolina this Saturday night.

Dropped from rankings: Indy Eleven (T-12), San Antonio FC (T-12)

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