Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

race?Given the way that Colorado Springs wants to play, right? Like, they, they wanna be a team that's dominating territory, which isn't always conducive to giving your wingers that runway to have the open space.

And there, there's just an intensity that whenever the Switchbacks regain the ball, they're really trying to either get it to maybe a leaking Adrian Perez kinda drifting off the right, Fieldberg being very vertical off the left, in a way that is so focused on momentum and catching the defense before it can settle.

You look at the stat sheet for Fieldberg in this game, he's not credited with a dribble attempt.

He only attempts two duels, two shots.

Hartford's route looked a little different.

You know, they scored six goals across their wins, Charlotte Independence, Colorado Springs, to reach the final.

And now it comes down to two very different teams.

Hartford, form, momentum, home crowd.

And Detroit limited the visitors here to just five shots, their lowest total of the season, and protect the lead through the final whistle.

Carlos Herrera recorded his league-leading 13th clean sheet of the season and also made his 200th career save early on in the second half, so what a way to celebrate, uh, the victory there.

Colorado Springs taking on Oakland.

Switchbacks control the ball, but Oakland leaves with a point.

Never, never an easy away trip, uh, to Tulsa.

Um, Noche Latina back, uh, Saturday, October 10th, back at Heart Health Park, um, against the Colorado Switchbacks.

Then we have to go to El Paso the following Saturday, the 17th.

And then rounding out the season, Oakland Roots SC, um, at home, uh, at Heart Health Park.

Garvin Medesala of Haiti.

Representing Colorado Springs.

Switchbacks as well.

Carl Santé.

We'll talk about them a little bit more.

But at the moment, Orange County sits a point above that 38-point threshold.

They are in fifth place, tied for fifth with Colorado, but it was a very important, pivotal win.

They'll be happy to know they're taking on a Monterey Bay side at home next weekend.

Between them and New Mexico, those two are probably going to be the first two teams to clinch in the Western Conference, I'd venture to say.

Unless Colorado can say something about it, but I doubt it.

Probably going to be New Mexico and El Paso.

It's just from the east and western side of things, the tables look so, so difficult.

Maybe you can't replace Thor, but Eddie Davis III is certainly making a case for it.

Loudon were held scoreless in their first two matches after Thor left.

I talked and said, what the heck's going to happen now with Loudon? But then Davis explodes for his first three club goals in a 5-4 loss to Colorado Springs.

Gets the hat trick.

I took a lot with me.

After that, I got a great opportunity with Colorado Springs Switchbacks, and I got a little taste of a pro environment, which really prepared me for here at ODU.

So everything I took from everywhere I've been, I think it leads to where I'm at right now.

I try to take every single characteristic, especially at Switchbacks, to what I do here.

Um, this sort of bracket of games we're gonna play are gonna be very interesting considering the teams.

You know, we have San Antonio, New Mexico, Las Vegas, Tulsa, Switchbacks, El Paso, and then finally with Oaken- Oakland.

So in considering that, what are our thoughts? What do we...

[laughs] How do we think this will best come down? Do we think that there's really a, um, you know, a way to lead this with ties? Are we gonna need to have some honest wins amongst these games?

Um, then I have three games that I'm very happy to win.

If we get a draw, that's okay, but we can't lose these games.

These, these, I, uh, these could be wins, but minimum draw, and that's San Antonio, Tulsa, and Colorado Switchbacks.

I think those minimum need to be draws, but I, I think we, we can win at least probably two or two of those three at minimum.

I have not seen anything on the west side of the stadium, so I wonder if that sold out or if they just made it only open to season ticket members.

I am fascinated to see what attendance looks like on Wednesday because historically Rapids fans don't show up for the Open Cup 'cause usually the Rapids don't get that far, and they just lose to a USL team, and nobody wants to drive out to Dick's on a Wednesday and sit in traffic on I-70 to watch them lose to the Switchbacks or lose to New Mexico United.

Completely understand that.

This is a semifinal, listeners.

You then have the Sprint season as well, and then maybe some decisions about where players are with that as well.

So I look at an Alex Harris that I don't know that he's made significant steps forward even though it, it appears to me that, um, Matt Wells is almost using him as like a stick to poke Darren Yapi to get him to be a little bit better.

Um, we see Bryce Jamieson who was in the USL Championship with Orange County, and then he's now gone on loan to Colorado Springs Switchbacks.

I assume we're gonna know something about him, um, in the next year as well.

Hartford kept turning the screws eight minutes before the break, and Anderson Corner from the left, far left side, found Dispay, who flicks it home near the near post, powerful header near post, to make it two.

Switchbacks came out, though, with more purpose after halftime.

Had to make some adjustments, Alan McCann, since they were down 2-0.

And boom, what happens is Auggie Williams breaks down the left, squares it for Engelina.

We also had the two semifinal losers of the USL Cup take off, ironically.

Would've been, uh, a, possibly a final, uh, preview, but it was Colorado Springs hosting San Antonio, uh, as well.

And the Switchbacks made it three straight USL championship wins at Widener Field.

It was a scoreless first half, but Fellberg put the host in front in the 67th minute.