Indoor, outdoor, soccer is everywhere! This week we see the return of the USL teams and some preseason friendlies between them. WISL goes to their first round of playoffs and MASL is going great guns with mid-season meaningful matchups - let’s get stuck in!

Josh Duder Picks…
- Loudoun United vs Richmond Kickers - USL Championship & League One. Preseason
  - Sat, 02/17 - 9:00am (PST) / 12:00pm (EST)
    at Segra Field in Leesburg, VA
  - When Loudoun were announced in 2018, they replaced Richmond Kickers as DC United’s USL affiliate team. They went so far as to hire former Kickers legend, Richie Williams, as a head coach and while he’s no longer with Loudoun, the two sides are inexorably linked. Despite their connections, it seems the only time they had previously been scheduled to play each other, back in April of 2021, both attempts were canceled. While there’s nothing on the line between the USL Championship side and the USL League One side, a little sibling rivalry is always interesting.

Josh Duder Picks…
- South Sound FC vs Oly Town FC Artesians - WISL
  - Sat, 02/17 - 7:00pm (PST) / 10:00pm (EST)
    at The Tacoma Soccer Center
  - South Sound FC and Oly Town both finished on 19 points but Oly Town FC had a better GD by +8. This is really going to be a ding dong battle between two teams who can put loads of goals in the ol’ onion bag! The winner may go on to play either Tacoma Stars Reserves or Bellingham United in the Semifinal but which will depend on the result of the Everett City and Oly Pen Force game

Dan Vaughn Picks…
- Baltimore Blast vs Utica City FC - MASL
  - Sat, 02/17 - 3:05pm (PST) / 6:05pm (EST)
    at TU Arena in Towson, MD
  - Utica has found its footing and is having a solid season, while Baltimore has found some success in its recent matches. Something has to give.

Jon Hunt Picks…
- Kissimmee FC vs Deportivo Lake Mary - UPSL, Regional Cup
  - Sat, 02/17 - 3:30p (PST) / 6:30p (EST)
    at Cypress Creek High School
  - One of the new clubs to the UPSL, Kissimmee FC will be kicking off their USPL career as a club against a solid side in Deportivo Lake Mary, who finished mid-table last year in the Florida Central Conference. Both sides will be looking to kick off the 2024 Spring season on the right foot with an opening win in the USPL Florida Cup.

Josh Duder Picks…
- Everett city FC vs Oly-Pen Force - WISL, Playoffs
  - Sat 02/17 - 7:00pm (PST) / 10:00pm (EST)
    at Everett Soccer Arena
  - Oly Pen Force won their last two games while the team below them dropped 8 in a row - it's not quite sneaking in, but it's not exactly convincing either. They travel away to Everett City FC, who have been on a tear, winning 6 on the trot. If Force should win, they face number one seed Tacoma Stars Reserves next and if they lose, then Everett City will take on number two seed, Bellingham United.

Dan Vaughn Picks…
- Empire Strykers vs San Diego Sockers - MASL
  - Sun, 02/18 - 4:05pm (PST) / 7:05p (EST)
    at Toyota Arena in Ontario, CA
  - Empire has struggled all year to be consistent. San Diego has been nothing but. It’s a clash of two California clubs and should be a good one!

Jon Hunt Picks…
- Louisville City FC vs Lexington SC - USL Championship & League One, Preseason
  - Sun, 02/18 - Time & Location not Available to Public
  - The 2nd ever matchup of El Bluegrassico comes in the form of a preseason match behind closed doors on an off site location. However, both Kentucky teams have heavily retooled and bolster their roster this offseason, with Lexington picking up LouCity legend Cameron Lancaster and promising wonderkid Issac Cano on a season long loan. City has added USLC Defender of the Year Arturo Ordóñez and MLSNP Goalkeeper of the Year Damian Las. Now, it being preseason could mean we may not see any of these players on the field together but it is still an exciting matchup for those in Kentucky.

Josh Duder Picks…
- NoVa FC vs Estudiantes FC - Eastern Premier League Soccer League
  - Thurs, 02/22 6:00pm (PST) / 9:00pm (EST)
    at Westfield High School
  - A battle of first and third in the Mid-Atlantic Conference between NoVa FC and Estudiantes. NoVa won 3-0 when they last met in September and while Estudiantes cannot over take them if they win, they can exact a little revenge… and that spice always makes a match a little tasty.

by the Protagonist Staff