TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Eastern and Western Conference leaders both game major tests on home turf on Saturday night, highlighting a 13-game slate of action that kicks off the middle third of the 2017 USL regular season. The weekend also sees two major matchups between playoff contenders, and a rematch from Wednesday night’s Third Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

The Charleston Battery have sat on top of the USL’s Eastern Conference for much of the season and on Saturday night welcome third-place Louisville City FC to MUSC Health Stadium as City looks to gain ground in the standings. Also in the Eastern Conference on Saturday, the Rochester Rhinos play host to FC Cincinnati in a game that should test both teams’ mettle.

San Antonio FC remained undefeated at the top of the Western Conference last Friday night, but got a stern challenge from a Swope Park Rangers side that visits Toyota Field on Saturday for the second game of their home-and-home series. Later in the night, Sacramento Republic FC will host Rio Grande Valley FC in what promises to be an entertaining game between two playoff contenders.

Every game of the 2017 USL season will be available on the league’s Match Center, with updates from across the league also available via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

GAMES TO WATCH

Saturday, June 3
Rochester Rhinos vs. FC Cincinnati
6:05 p.m. ET, Capelli Sport Stadium
The Rochester Rhinos and FC Cincinnati both enter Saturday night’s contest in good form in the league, and coming off hard-fought victories in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday night. With the Rhinos only three points back of FCC with four games in hand, a win for the hosts would provide a major leg up in the race to the top of the East.

Rochester (3-1-3, 12pts) is currently on a four-game undefeated streak in league play after taking a 1-0 victory in its last outing against the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Capelli Sport Stadium on May 24. The side is coming off an overtime victory against GPS Omens in the Open Cup on Wednesday night, which earned a meeting with Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution on June 14 in the Fourth Round.

Cincinnati (4-4-3, 15pts) earned its first back-to-back league wins of the season last Saturday night as Danni König’s third goal in the past two games resulted in a 1-0 win against Toronto FC II. FCC also bagged a 1-0 victory in the Open Cup on Wednesday, with its win against River Cities rival Louisville City FC earning a home game against Columbus Crew SC in the Fourth Round.

Charleston Battery vs. Louisville City FC
7 p.m. ET, MUSC Health Stadium
The Charleston Battery will try to maintain their hold on the top of the Eastern Conference as they return home after a three-game road trip through the northeast in the league and a midweek victory in the Open Cup. They will get a stern test from Louisville, though, which will be looking to replicate its success in the same fixture last season.

The Battery (7-2-2, 23pts) fell for only the second time last Sunday afternoon as the New York Red Bulls II earned a 2-1 victory at MSU Soccer Park. Charleston rebounded well on Wednesday night, however, as it took a 1-0 victory against Jacksonville Armada FC in the Open Cup to set up a meeting with Atlanta United FC in the Fourth Round.

Louisville (4-1-3, 15pts) is coming off a 1-0 victory in the league against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on May 20 in its last league outing, but fell on Wednesday night to FC Cincinnati in the Open Cup. With three games in hand, but an eight-point gap to bridge between itself and Charleston, a win on the road would provide a major boost to Head Coach James O’Connor’s squad.

San Antonio FC vs. Swope Park Rangers
8:30 p.m. ET, Toyota Field
The conclusion of a home-and-home series between the current Western Conference leader and the defending Western Conference champion is set for Toyota Field, with San Antonio FC looking to complete the sweep over the Swope Park Rangers after a compelling first meeting last Friday night.

San Antonio (9-0-2, 29pts) took its first victory all-time against the Rangers at Children’s Mercy Victory Field as Mark O’Ojong’s second-half goal proved the difference in a 1-0 win. SAFC is coming off a setback in the Open Cup in midweek, however, as Tulsa Roughnecks FC earned a victory in a penalty shootout to advance to face FC Dallas in the Fourth Round.

The Rangers (4-4-0, 12pts) saw their nine-game home winning streak come to an end against San Antonio, and will be hoping to return the favor on Saturday. Swope Park outshot San Antonio 11-4, and held 77 percent of possession, and will be hopeful it can break both SAFC’s undefeated start to the season and its five-game shutout streak.

Sacramento Republic FC vs. Rio Grande Valley FC
11 p.m. ET, Papa Murphy’s Park
Sacramento Republic FC will look to continue its recent turnaround in form as it plays host to Rio Grande Valley FC, but the Toros sit only one point back in the standings and come in on a three-game undefeated streak.

Republic FC (4-5-2, 14pts) is undefeated in its past four outings in all competitions, grabbing a late equalizer against Seattle Sounders FC 2 last Sunday afternoon to continue its recent upswing in form. Sacramento has also been excellent on home turf this year, and advanced to the Fourth Round of the Open Cup with a 2-0 win against Reno 1868 FC on Wednesday night to set up a meeting with Real Salt Lake at Papa Murphy’s Park on June 14.

The Toros (4-3-1, 13pts) have taken seven points from their past three outings, with a 1-1 draw against the LA Galaxy II keeping the side in the Western Conference’s top eight. The Toros were unable to find a way past Sacramento last season, and fell 3-2 in their first visit to Papa Murphy’s Park, but a win could put the side as high as third in the standings by the end of the week.

NUMBER CRUNCHING

464 – San Antonio FC’s shutout streak in league play is currently at 464 minutes. The league record held by Rio Grande Valley FC set in 2016 is 760 minutes.

20 – Amer Didic became the 20th USL player this calendar year to sign an MLS contract on Wednesday afternoon, as the 2016 USL All-League selection joined Sporting Kansas City from the Swope Park Rangers.

9 – Nine USL clubs advanced to the Fourth Round of the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup this week, the largest league contingent remaining in the tournament outside Major League Soccer. Three teams (FC Cincinnati, Saint Louis FC, Sacramento Repulic FC) will host MLS opposition for the first time in the tournament on June 14.

6 – Real Monarchs SLC has set a club record with six consecutive victories, and is now only two wins short of equaling Orlando City SC’s record of eight consecutive wins set in 2014. The Monarchs visit Orange County SC on Saturday.

4 – Four different players with USL experience found the score sheet in the United States U20s’ 6-0 victory against New Zealand on Thursday night at the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup. Justen Glad (Real Monarchs SLC), Jeremy Ebobisse (Charleston Battery) and Auston Trusty (Bethlehem Steel FC) all scored, while Sebastian Saucedo (Real Monarchs SLC) and Glad recorded assists.

OTHER NEWS AND NOTES

- Ottawa Fury FC’s run in the 2017 Canadian Championship came to an end on Wednesday night as the side fell 4-0 to Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC at BMO Field, resulting in a 5-2 aggregate defeat.

- Louisville City FC’s Mark-Anthony Kaye earned his first call-up to the Canada Men’s National Team this week, as he was named in the squad to face Curaçao on June 13 in Montreal. Kaye is one of 10 players in the squad with USL experience, including former Toronto FC II standout Raheem Edwards.

- The Swope Park Rangers’ Kevin Oliveira was named in Cape Verde’s squad to face Uganda in African Cup of Nations Qualifying this week, with the No. 2 selection in the 2016 USL 20 Under 20 earning his first call-up to the national team for a competitive game in his career.

- Week 11’s action kicks off on Friday night as Saint Louis FC (3-3-3, 12pts) plays host to Toronto FC II (1-6-4, 7pts) at Toyota Stadium – Saint Louis (8:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). STLFC is coming off a midweek victory against the PDL’s Michigan Bucks in the Open Cup, and will be looking to continue Toronto’s 10-game winless streak as former goalkeeper Mark Pais returns to Saint Louis with TFC II.

- Real Monarchs SLC (9-1-0, 27pts) will try to make it seven wins in a row when it visits Orange County SC (3-3-1, 10pts) at Orange County Great Park on Saturday evening (8 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Monarchs earned a 2-1 victory against Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 last Sunday afternoon, while Orange County is coming off a 1-0 win against the L.A. Wolves in the Open Cup on Wednesday night. OCSC won its first home game of the season 4-0 against the LA Galaxy II.

- The Richmond Kickers (2-5-4, 10pts) will look to get their season turned around as they host the New York Red Bulls II (4-5-2, 14pts) at City Stadium on Saturday night (7 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Kickers are winless in their past six games after a 5-3 defeat against Ottawa Fury FC last Saturday, while New York is coming off a 2-1 victory against the Charleston Battery last Sunday.

- OKC Energy FC (3-4-1, 10pts) will look to complete an Open Cup and league sweep when it faces Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (3-4-5, 14pts) for the second time in four days at Weidner Field on Saturday night (8 p.m. ET | Match Center). Energy FC took a 2-1 victory against the Switchbacks in the Third Round of the Open Cup on Wednesday for their fourth consecutive win in all competitions as Jose Barril and Wojciech Wojcik found the back of the net.

- The Pittsburgh Riverhounds (4-4-3, 15pts) will look to get back in the win column when they host Orlando City B (3-4-3, 12pts) at Highmark Stadium on Saturday night (7 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Riverhounds were held to a 0-0 draw by the Harrisburg City Islanders on May 24 in their last outing, while Orlando lost an early lead in a 3-1 defeat to the Charlotte Independence last Saturday night.

- Seattle Sounders FC 2 (4-5-2, 14pts) will look to break a three-game winless streak when it hosts the LA Galaxy II (2-6-2, 8pts) on Saturday night at Starfire Stadium (10 p.m. ET | Match Center). S2 saw a potential victory grabbed away in stoppage time by Sacramento Republic FC last Sunday in a 2-2 draw, while Los Dos are coming off a 2-1 defeat to Phoenix Rising FC last Saturday night.

- The Charlotte Independence (3-2-2, 11pts) and Tampa Bay Rowdies (6-3-3, 21pts) will both look to bounce back from defeat in the Open Cup on Wednesday night when they meet at Eagle Field on Sunday night (7 p.m. ET | Match Center). Charlotte did take a victory in its past league outing as Jorge Herrera led the side to a 3-1 win against Orlando City B, while the Rowdies needed a late goal by Neill Collins to earn a 1-1 draw against Saint Louis last Saturday night to remain second in the East.

- The Portland Timbers 2 (1-9-1, 4pts) will try to get their season on track when they play host to Cascadia rival Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 (3-5-2, 11pts) on Sunday afternoon at Providence Park (5 p.m. ET | Match Center). Both teams are coming off defeats, with T2 losing 3-1 to Tulsa Roughnecks FC last Saturday night and WFC2 falling 2-1 to Real Monarchs SLC last Sunday.

- Bethlehem Steel FC (4-6-0, 12pts) and Ottawa Fury FC (3-3-3, 12pts) are both coming off victories in their last league outings when they meet at Goodman Stadium on Sunday evening (5 p.m. ET | Match Center). Fury FC had its biggest attacking output of the season in a 5-3 win against the Richmond Kickers last Saturday night at TD Place, while Steel FC took a 3-1 win against the Harrisburg City Islanders last Sunday at Goodman Stadium to move into the top eight in the East.