Hickory FC Draws Nearly 2,500 Fans for First Responders Night Despite Loss to Asheville City SC
Hickory, N.C.-- On a warm Tuesday night at Moretz Stadium, soccer was only part of the story. Nearly 2,500 fans packed the stands for a midweek friendly, turning out in impressive numbers to support Hickory FC on First Responders Night. The club also used the occasion to raise money for recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of Western North Carolina last year.
It was a night that went beyond soccer — a powerful blend of competition and community, as Hickory FC hosted regional powerhouse Asheville City SC.
Asheville City came in as advertised.
The club is a perennial contender in USL League Two, with multiple national tournament appearances and a reputation for developing high-level talent. They are one of those clubs that has clearly set the bar in the fourth tier — and they brought that edge with them to Hickory on Tuesday night.
The teams last met in 2024, also at Moretz Stadium, where Hickory secured a 2–0 win in their first-ever meeting. However, Tuesday night’s matchup carried a noticeably different intensity from the opening whistle.
Hickory FC struggled to establish any rhythm in the opening 45 minutes, with passes missing their mark and off-the-ball movement lacking urgency. Asheville City SC, despite playing their first match of the season, showed no signs of rust throughout the first half. Their high press consistently disrupted Hickory’s build-up play, forcing turnovers and creating multiple scoring opportunities in the final third.
The breakthrough came in the 14th minute, when Asheville City was awarded a free kick just outside the 20-yard box. The visitors capitalized, curling a well-placed shot over the wall and into the top right corner — out of reach for Hickory FC’s backup goalkeeper Daniel Miklosi, who had little chance to react.
Asheville continued to apply pressure, and in the 28th minute, their press forced a costly mistake. A turnover deep in Hickory’s defensive third prompted Miklosi — starting in place of regular keeper Jasper Rump — to come off his line. But as he charged out, he slipped, leaving the net unguarded for a simple finish that extended Asheville’s lead to 2-0 going into the half.
With Hickory’s biggest game of the year coming up this Saturday against regional rival Appalachian FC, head coach Carlos Rubio used this friendly as an opportunity to give most of the roster meaningful minutes. The focus was on spreading playing time and evaluating his roster ahead of the matchup.
With that being said, it was more of the same in the second half.
Goals in the 50th and 57th minutes by Asheville City SC quickly extended the second-half lead to 4-0, effectively putting the match out of reach for Hickory FC.
Asheville City would add on three more goals in the latter part of the half to bring the final score to 7-0.
For Hickory FC fans looking at the bright side, there are definitely some positives to take away from this one. First off, it was just a friendly, so it won’t hurt their official record or their chances in the Southeast Conference race. Secondly, they were up against a full-strength Asheville City SC team—one known for producing pro-level talent. Sure, losing never feels great, but dropping a non-conference friendly to a tough opponent like that is a lot easier to swallow.
(Photo Credit: Bryson Smith and Jackson Shoe)