Throughout the season, OKC Energy FC was the team many were waiting on to produce a late-season run as it held multiple games in hand against its Western Conference opposition. While OKC did ultimately grab a postseason position, it wasn’t through the club’s own doing but rather through the faltering of the teams below. OKC enters its second straight USL Cup Playoffs with a six-game winless streak and some of the most lopsided wins of its season during this stretch. Head Coach Jimmy Nielsen’s side will now travel to face a Rio Grande Valley FC side that it hasn’t scored against in three previous meetings, so the climb up the mountain starts with a heavy incline.

2016 USL Playoffs: Quarterfinal matchup:
No. 7 OKC Energy FC (3), No. 2 Rio Grande Valley FC (2) – OKC second-half sub Colin Bonner tallied two stoppage-time goals to rally for a dramatic victory against RGV on Saturday, Oct. 1, at Toro Stadium. Linus Olsson added Energy FC's other goal in the 72nd minute. RGV led twice with goals by Ruben Luna in the first half and Eric Bird in the second half, but the expansion Toros were unable to hold on in both instances. - RECAP

2016 USL regular season:
Records:
Overall: 10-7-13 (43 points) | Home: 5-3-7 (22 points) | Road: 5-4-6 (21 points)

Goals For: 32 | Goals Against: 30

Leaders:
Goals: 1. (tie) Danni Konig, Michael Thomas, Wojciech Wojcik 4; 4. (tie) 3 tied with 3
Assists: 1. (tie) Sebastian Dalgaard, Danni Konig, Michael Thomas 4; 4. Michael Thomas 3
Saves: 1. Cody Laurendi 80; 2. C.J. Cochran 6

Clinched its postseason … Sept. 17; mathematically clinched following Orange County Blues FC’s and Real Monarchs SLC’s losses to Rio Grande Valley FC and Arizona United SC, respectively

Defining moment: In terms of drama and significance, OKC’s 2-0 road victory against the Swope Park Rangers on July 12 ranks up there as one of the team’s best of the season. Heading into the match, Energy FC was without captain Michael Thomas who was serving a suspension following his sending off in a scoreless draw against San Antonio FC. Goalkeeper Cody Laurendi wore the armband and played the role well with a season-high seven saves and clean sheet. Offensively, it took some late heroics from FC Dallas loanees Coy Craft and Timo Pitter in the final 10 minutes of a match that seemed to be headed to a goal-less affair.

Three keys to a championship run:
1. Offensive awakening: OKC’s offense went dormant in the second half of the regular season, to the extent that it didn’t score a goal in seven of those matches. Energy FC’s lack of goals has been one of the bigger mysteries of the season, especially with Danni Konig – who tallied 21 goals in 2015 – winding up with only four despite a number of chances throughout the campaign. Energy FC also brought in Andy Craven for the latter third of the year, but in nine games the former Seattle Sounders FC 2 striker has yet to find the back of the net. Both players in the past have demonstrated their knack for generating an attack, and it is imperative for them to come out of their shell in the postseason. 
2. Set-piece focus: OKC certainly can take advantage of its versatility of set-piece chances, whether on corner kicks, free kicks or particularly Michael Harris’ deep flip throw-ins. Not too many teams boast that range of dead ball chances, and considering Rio Grande Valley FC is Energy FC’s first opponent, attempting to play toe-to-toe in the run of play could prove to be difficult.
3. Depth put to test: Goalkeeper Cody Laurendi has been lights-out this season with 12 clean sheets and a number of highlight-reel saves. The charismatic goalkeeper has come up with 80 saves and a goals-against average of 0.92. That said, last week, Puerto Rico announced Laurendi as part of its roster for the third round of the 2016 Scotiabank Caribbean Cup, meaning if OKC can make a run into October, Energy FC might be without his services. The opener against RGV will be a test in of itself, but OKC also needs to prep for the possibility of C.J. Cochran stepping into a greater role.

QUOTABLE:
“Soccer is a simple game that we are trying to make complicated, including myself. … We need more movement off the ball, more runs, and I know we have the guys to do it. We see it at training a lot and we just need to do it more during the game and be more consistent.” – OKC Energy FC Captain Michael Thomas