For Louisville City FC, 2016 has marked a second season, a second runner-up finish in the Eastern Conference and now a second opportunity to make a deep run in the USL Cup Playoffs. With some new pieces in the mix for its sophomore campaign, Louisville didn’t miss a beat and has performed admirably throughout the year, highlighted by an incredible 17-game unbeaten streak. The club’s form on the road also was solid to the tune of an 11-2-2 record. LouCity has been far steadier this year than in 2015, when the club lost four of its final five regular-season games, and the expectations among the roster and its supporters is for this team to once again be a viable threat to hoist the USL Cup when all is said and done.

2016 USL Cup Playoffs:
Eastern Conference Semifinal result:
No. 2 Louisville City FC (1), No. 6 Charleston Battery (0) – LouCity's Kadeem Dacres scored the game's lone goal in the second half as the host side defeated Charleston on Saturday, Oct. 8, in front of 6,581 at Slugger Field. Louisville returned to the Eastern Conference Final for a second consecutive year. Sean Reynolds had the assist on Dacres' 53rd-minute goal and goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh and the LouCity defense earned its second straight clean sheet in the postseason. - RECAP

Eastern Conference Quarterfinal result:
No. 2 Louisville City FC (2), No. 7 Richmond Kickers (0), OT – Louisville's George Davis IV and Chandler Hoffman each tallied a goal in the first 15-minute overtime and LouCity opened the postseason with a victory at Slugger Field on Sunday, Oct. 2. Richmond managed to somehow hold Louisville off the score sheet for the opening 90 minutes despite playing down a man. Samuel Asante was sent off within the opening five minutes, but goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra and the Kickers' defense managed to keep things close. - RECAP

2016 USL regular season:
Records:
Overall: 17-4-9 (60 points) | Home: 6-2-7 (25 points) | Road: 11-2-2 (35 points)

Goals For: 52 | Goals Against: 27

Leaders:
Goals: 1. Chandler Hoffman 14; 2. (tie) Guy Abend, George Davis IV 5; 4. Cameron Lancaster 4
Assists: 1. Kyle Smith 6; 2. Paolo DelPiccolo 5; 3. Niall McCabe 4; 4. (tie) 4 tied with 3
Saves: 1. Greg Ranjitsingh 50; 2. Scott Goodwin 20; 3. Tim Dobrowolski 1

Clinched its postseason … Aug. 21; mathematically clinched following Bethlehem Steel FC’s 3-2 loss to FC Montreal

Defining moment: It wasn’t the most lopsided win of the season, but Louisville’s 2-0 victory against the Richmond Kickers on Sept. 10 perhaps was the team’s most balanced. It also was against a Kickers side that was red-hot, posting a 10-game unbeaten streak (7-0-3) with five shutouts during that span. Cameron Lancaster scored in the first half, Magnus Rasmussen scored in the second half for his first tally of the season and Louisville controlled the game to the extent that it didn’t even allow Richmond to put a shot on frame. Like most teams, LouCity has had its share of ebbs and flows during a 90-minute span. This September performance certainly stood out as one of the club’s best of the regular season.

Three keys to a championship run:
1. Possession power: If the first two seasons have been any indication, Louisville’s trademark tends to be its midfield play. LouCity is a possession-heavy, chance-creating club to the point that opponents rarely have the opportunity to create enough chances of their own. Louisville allowed only 92 shots on goal this season in 30 games. The trio of Magnus Rasmussen, Aodhan Quinn and Guy Abend – and a cast of other options who can control a match, provide strong set-piece deliveries and much more – will be the focal point for Louisville’s postseason stretch. Rasmussen’s game has certainly stepped up a level in recent weeks as he has fully recovered from a hip injury. Speaking of hip injuries, Niall McCabe’s season-ending setback is a bit of a void in the central attacking role, but Louisville appears to have coped well without his contributions.
2. Hoffman’s return to form: The toils of any striker, Louisville’s Chandler Hoffman has been in the midst of a drought that LouCity fans certainly hope is only temporary. Hoffman has gone through 10 consecutive matches without a goal, with his last tallies being a brace during a 4-1 win at Wilmington Hammerheads FC on July 17. In mid-July, Hoffman was well on his way to putting up USL-record-level numbers at or above former Louisville forward Matt Fondy’s 22-goal performance from a season ago. The 26-year-old has the experience to overcome this obstacle and rattle off a bunch of goals, and Louisville will need that finishing product to rise to the top in the postseason.
3. Two-way play: There is so much focus on Louisville’s attack in these keys, but that is because LouCity’s defense also plays an integral role in the way the club produces in the offensive third. Outside backs such as Kyle Smith and Ben Newnam are big pieces to LouCity’s ability to generate chances, with Smith leading the club with six assists and Newnam providing three of his own. This shouldn’t come as a surprise under James O’Connor’s side. Last year’s USL Defender of the Year Bryan Burke led the entire league in assists with 10 while playing at right back.

QUOTABLE:
“It’s always about how you finish the season, not necessarily how you start. I still think we have our best football left in us.” – Louisville City FC Defender Ben Newnam