TUKWILA, Wash. – Currently on a six-game undefeated streak that has moved the side from looking like its 2016 season was going to be a bust, to the verge of a place in the Western Conference’s top eight, Seattle Sounders FC 2 is looking to carry its current momentum into Saturday night’s trip to Rio Grande Valley FC.

With a warm reception waiting S2 on the field and in the South Texas heat, though, managing the game properly was at the forefront of midfielder Zach Mathers’ thoughts when he spoke to media on Wednesday.

“It’s going to be hot down there, and they’re used to it,” Mather told reporters. “They’re going to be able to run just a little bit further than us. So we have to really manage that game and I think that’s going to be the key for us if we’re going to get three points from it.”

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Seattle’s four-game winning streak came to an end on this past Saturday as it drew 1-1 with Cascadia rival Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2. Having taken 14 points out of a possible 18 in the past month, however, S2 has the chance to pull level with the Toros should it take victory on the road.

As well as the Toros have been playing defensively of late with a current five-game shutout streak, Coach Ezra Hendrickson said maintaining possession against a side that has worn opponents down in recent contests will be a key to taking something from the contest.

“They’re a possession style team,” he said. “It’s going to be a situation at their place where we have to find a way to get the ball. We want to recover the ball and keep it for a certain amount of time, that way we don’t find ourselves defending more than we’re attacking.”

With the club’s attack having scored 11 goals in its past five games, however, the firepower appears to be there for S2 as Homegrown signing Darwin Jones, recently USL Team of the Week selection Myron Samuel and USL 20 Under 20 No. 1 selection Victor Mansaray offer speed and strength should the team find chances on the counter-attack.

Combine that with the greater togetherness the side has shown of late, and S2 appears in position to continue its strong late-season run.

“I think we’re playing together more as a team,” said Mathers. “At the start of the year we weren’t playing 90 minutes together. I think now we’re getting close to playing 90 minutes together.”