Midway through the 2016 season, things were looking bright for Saint Louis FC. The side was solidly in playoff contention in the Western Conference, had picked up some impressive wins both at home and on the road, while new signing Irvin Herrera was firing along nicely to lead the team’s attack.

When the calendar turned to July, so did the team’s fortunes. A run of only two wins in the club’s final 15 games of the season saw the season slide away from the side, and brought the end of the tenure of Coach Dale Schilly. With Preki ready to get to work this offseason, Saint Louis now has a vision of a first playoff berth in club history ahead of it for 2017.

2016 USL SEASON IN REVIEW

Record: 8-12-10, 34pts
Place: 14th in the Western Conference
Goals For: 42
Goals Against: 44
USL Cup Playoffs: N/A

2016 leaders: Irvin Herrera (14 goals, 4 assists), Mark Pais (67 saves)

WHAT WENT RIGHT

Saint Louis was one of the better attacking teams in the Western Conference, finishing with 42 goals as Irvin Herrera finished fourth in the league with 14 goals in his first season with the club. Early-season wins on the road against Sacramento and at home to Swope Park showed the side at its best, while new faces A.J. Cochran and Chad Bond had a positive impact on the side as expected.

WHAT WENT WRONG

The lack of secondary scoring was the Achilles heel for the side all season. While Herrera was excellent, he recorded one third of the team’s goals as players like Mike Ambersley, Jamiel Hardware and Schillo Tshuma were unable to provide a consistent second scoring threat. If Herrera wasn’t on his game, the margin of error proved too slim in a highly competitive conference that saw a massive dogfight for the final playoff berth that went down to the final weekend of the season.

GOALS OF THE SEASON

Irvin Herrera had a number of memorable goals in his first season, but none quite so much as his curling finish against Rio Grande Valley FC that brought the house down at World Wide Technology Soccer Park.

Seth Rudolph only scored twice for STLFC in 2016, but his ripped finish against Tulsa Roughnecks FC in the side’s biggest win of the season was an absolute belter.

SAVES OF THE SEASON

Mark Pais played the majority of the minutes between the sticks for STLFC in 2016, and showed off his athleticism with this brilliant tipped save over the crossbar against Louisville City FC.

Pais’ mobility was also on display against Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2, as he was able to deny a close-range finish from a well-worked free kick to keep the visitors off the board.

HE SAID IT

“Preki is someone that brings the passion, the determination and the commitment to creating an environment where players are pushed to realize their full potential. His track record of winning at both the MLS and USL levels make him the ideal person to lead Saint Louis FC, but also his ability to develop players during different points in their careers is something we were attracted to.” – Saint Louis FC General Manager Jeremy Alumbaugh