Palmetto State Report: October 30
USL Playoffs just ahead; UPSL enters the final third of the season
Columbia Derby goes to Soda City
It was a Troy Paul goal that provided the separation on Saturday night in Irmo as Soda City FC defeated cross-town rivals in the South Carolina United Heat to stay atop the UPSL Premier Mid-Atlantic table. The win keeps Soda a perfect 7W-0L-0T on the season in first place on 21 points. The Heat now sits as 6W-1L-0T on 18 points with a five point cushion over third-place Charleston. Based on the regular season results, Soda and the Heat should meet again in the playoffs with a conference title on the line.
Boiling Springs thumps struggling Asheville 4-0 to climb higher in the UPSL table
Jaxon Keene netted a hat trick with Sabiano Sandor adding another goal as Boiling Springs muscled past winless Asheville FC Sunday afternoon in the Upstate. The win carries Boiling into the top four in the table as all the South Carolina members of the conference now occupy the top four slots.
Battery defeat Legion to close out regular season; Focus now turns to USL playoffs
The 2-1 home win for the Battery over the Legion was a club-record 19th win for the club in the USL Championship era. Houssou Landry and Cal Jennings scored for the Battery with the Jenning’s goal giving him 17 goals for the 2025 campaign. Jennings was just one goal away from the Golden Boot crown as Oakland’s Peter Wilson took the title with a goal versus Lexington late Saturday night to claim the award. Charleston now enters the USLC playoffs as the second-overall seed (Lou City at No.1) and will look to begin a march to the league title Sunday afternoon versus Rhode Island.
River City gets back in the win column with 3-1 win at Boiling Springs II
Oscar Lenos scored a brace with Kevin Gomez Bernal adding another goal as River City picked up their third win of the season Sunday night at the CFC Soccer Complex. The win moves River into third place in the UPSL Mid-Atlantic Division 1 standings on 10 points as Boiling II stays near the bottom of the table with just one win on the season.
Charleston United wins coastal duel over the Kings
Charleston picked up a 2-0 win last Saturday over the visiting Coastal Kings in Summerville. Kevin Simpson and Carlos Menezes scored the Lowcountry goals for the hosts to defeat the Coastal Empire visitors in this first LowCo-Empire derby.
Two-time UPSL National Champion moves from Soda City to Greek 2nd Division
Rauf Salifu has made the jump from Soda City FC to Greek second-division club P.A.E. Chania in recent transfer news. The 23-year old Ghanaian forward was a key part of Soda’s back-to-back UPSL National titles in 2024 after stops at Sporting KC II and Accra Lions FC.
Triumph fall at One Knox and enters the offseason after missing USL One playoffs
It was a 0-1 loss on the road in Knoxville as the 2025 season concluded for the Triumph. The team had been eliminated from the 2025 postseason with an earlier loss and the club now enters the offseason looking ahead to a new stadium set to open at BridgeWay Station in Mauldin in 2026.
Battery announces 2025 Club Awards
The annual Charleston Battery Club awards were announced earlier this week.
MD Myers was awarded the Lou Salvatore, Sr. Player’s Award as voted by his teammates.
Joey Gorman was awarded the Betsy McAdams Award for his service and community engagement as voted by Club Management.
Aaron Molloy was awarded the Tim Hankinson Most Outstanding Player Award by the fans.
Upcoming Matches for Palmetto State teams:
Nov. 1 ILM FC at River City, 5 PM, Irmo HS Stadium in Irmo , SC
Nov. 2 Rhode Island FC at Charleston Battery, 2PM, Patriots Point Stadium in Mt Pleasant, SC
Nov. 2 Boling Springs II at Liberty Arsenal International, 5 PM, Spivey Rec Center in Fayetteville, NC
Nov. 2 Boiling Springs United FC at SCU Heat, 5 PM, Southeastern Freight Lines Soccer Complex in Columbia, SC
Nov. 2 Soda City FC at Pre-College DA, 5 PM, OrthoCarolina Sportsplex in Pineville, NC
Nov 2. Charleston United at Mint Hill, 6 PM, OrthoCarolina Sportsplex in Pineville, NC