SANDY, Utah (Friday, June 30, 2017) – Real Monarchs SLC (12-1-1, 37 points, 1st West / 1st Overall in USL) continue their 2017 campaign Saturday night in Tulsa. The road game gives Monarchs’ Head Coach Mark Briggs’ team a chance to extend its active undefeated streak record to 11 games while improving on the club’s 5-1-1 mark on the road this season.
Last Saturday, the Monarchs saw its USL-record nine-game win streak snapped in Phoenix, but the 1-1 road draw enabled the club to remain unbeaten for a franchise-record 10th consecutive match. FW Daniel Haber gave the Monarchs the early lead with a 12th-minute goal, but Mexican legend Omar Bravo scored just before halftime – on a Didier Drogba assist – to knot the score.
Last Monday night, June 19, the Monarchs set a new USL record with its ninth consecutive victory, a 2-1 win over visiting Reno 1868 at Rio Tinto Stadium. First-half goals from RSL Academy product Andrew Brody and Salt Lake native Taylor Peay were both assisted by midfield catalyst Sebastian Velasquez, now tied for the 2017 USL assist lead with six. GK Lalo Fernandez came up with several key saves in the second half en route to his fifth win of the year, backstopping a defense that has outscored opponents 17-4 in the last 674 minutes.
How to Follow Real Monarchs @ Tulsa Roughnecks – Sat., July 1, 2017
- Coverage Begins: 6:30 p.m. MT
- Webstream: RSL.com or USLsoccer.com
- English Radio: n/a
- Spanish Radio: n/a
- Online: The @RealMonarchs Twitter feed provides updates
Game Guide for Saturday’s Monarchs @ Tulsa game Available Online
The link to the Adobe PDF version of the Game Guide in advance of Saturday night’s contest between Real Monarchs and Tulsa Roughnecks is available by clicking HERE.
Now in the club’s third season, the Monarchs are re-writing their own record books every time out. This season’s 12-1-1 mark exceeds last year’s 10-win total, and the 33 goals scored in 2017 surpasses the attacking output for all 30 games in 2016. This year’s +20 goal differential brings the Monarchs’ all-time goal +/- back to even, while Saturday’s draw gave the Monarchs an all-time 29-28-15 record, one game over .500 despite not qualifying for the USL Cup Playoffs in either of the club’s first two campaigns.
A year ago, the 10th and final win was not reached until September 17, while the inaugural 2015 season saw just seven total wins. In its first two seasons, Real Monarchs SLC had totaled just six wins combined in April, May and June, prior to 12 – and counting – this season.
Led by FW Chandler Hoffman (8 goals, t-3 USL) and MF Sebastian Velasquez (6 goals, 6 assists, t-2 USL) in the first 14 games this season, the Monarchs have scored multiple goals in 11 of its 12 victories, making the club the highest scoring team in the USL West, with 33 goals through 14 matches. With Brody and Peay scoring on June 19, the Monarchs now boast eight players with multiple goals, including 13 total goalscorers so far this season. Hoffman’s eight goals on the season rank 3rd overall in the USL, while his next goal will mark his 40th career USL strike. Velasquez and MF Charlie Adams (five assists) rank 2-3 amongst USL playmakers in the key attacking statistic.
Each of the club’s two games prior to Saturday’s draw saw two assists in each from Velasquez, who has been named an USL Team of the Week honoree four times in the lat seven weeks and five times overall this year. Also receiving the weekly distinction this year have been Monarchs MF Chase Minter, DF James Moberg, M/F Daniel Haber, MF Nick Besler and GK Connor Sparrow.
Only Monarchs Captain Nick Besler has played every single one of the club’s 1,260 minutes this season, while five others – MF Andrew Brody (1213), DF Max Lachowecki (1154), FW Chandler Hoffman (1169), MF Sebastian Velasquez (1135) and DF James Moberg (1133) – have each played 1,100 or more minutes. M/F Daniel Haber joins Hoffman, Besler, Brody, Moberg and Lachowecki amongst Monarchs to have appeared in all 14 league contests this USL season.
