Pro Soccer: Union kept playoff hopes alive with a tie in Vegas
LAS VEGAS — As the minutes of a record scoreless drought pile up, so does a winless streak that has been extended into its third month.
Yet, Monterey Bay F.C. is clinging to a pulse in its push for a postseason spot after playing Las Vegas to a scoreless draw Saturday in the desert.
Producing its first point in the standings since August 24, the Union (7-13-8) remain just two points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the United Soccer League Championship Western Conference.
Monterey Bay F.C. still has six matches remaining in the regular season, five of them against teams in front of them in the Western Conference, including Orange County, who it will host next Saturday at Cardinale Stadium.
Despite not having won a home match since June 22, the Union are 4-4-6 at Cardinale Stadium. Ironically, their last win came on the road in Pittsburgh on July 6.
Having failed to produce a goal in their last four matches, the Union have now gone 362 minutes with scoring, the longest scoring drought in team history, and are nine matches into their winless streak.
The Union are still looking for their first win under new coach Jordan Stewart, who is 0-2-3 since taking over for Frank Yallop six weeks ago.
Las Vegas, which sits comfortable in the sixth slot with 40 points, had dropped four of its previous five meetings with Monterey Bay F.C., including a 3-1 loss earlier this year.
Goalie Carlos Herrera recorded his second shutout between the pipes for the Union, whose defense has kept eight teams out of the goalies box this year.
Monterey F.C., however, has failed to produce a goal in 13 of its last 21 matches on the pitch.
Since starting the season 4-1-1, the Union have gone just 3-12-7 and are the third worst scoring team in the USL with 24 goals. They remain among the Top 10 on the USL in defense.
Forward Christina Volesky made his first start since returning to the Union two weeks ago. Volesky is the team’s all-time leader in goals and assists. The team, however, didn’t have current goals leader Tristan Trager in the lineup because of a leg injury.
