INDY ELEVEN GAMEDAY PREVIEW
Indy Eleven vs Carolina RailHawks
Friday, October 30, 2015 – 7:30 p.m. ET
WakeMed Park – Cary, NC

WATCH LIVE:
TV: No Local/National TV Broadcast 
Streaming Video: ESPN3.com (U.S) and various ESPN online platforms (international)

LISTEN LIVE:
Local radio (SPANISH): La Pura Mega 88.1 FM 
Streaming audio (SPANISH): LaPuraMega.com

FOLLOW ONLINE:  
In-game updates: Follow the @IndyElevenLive Twitter feed
Live stats: Visit the NASL.com MatchCenter 
Game Hashtag: #CARvIND

Click here for the full NASL standings page
Click here to see the Fall NASL Schedule

TEAM RECORDS: 
Indy Eleven:
Fall Season: 5W-5D-9L, 20 pts., 8th place
Combined Season: 8W-9D-12L, 33 pts., 7th place

Carolina RailHawks:
Fall Season: 5W-3D-11L, 18 pts., 11th place
Combined Season: 8W-8D-13L, 32 pts., 8th place

GAME NOTES:  
Indy Eleven Game Notes
Carolina RailHawks Game Notes

HISTORY vs. RAILHAWKS

It seems like forever since Indy Eleven and the RailHawks have met, Carolina serving as Indy’s Fall Season home opener opponent all the way back on July 11. “The Boys in Blue” are looking to go undefeated against the North Carolinians on the season after notching a 2-1 comeback win in that last meeting in July, which was preceded by a 1-1 draw in Spring Season action on April 25, also at “The Mike.”
When combining last year’s 1W-1D-1L record, Indy Eleven owns a 2-2-1 all-time mark against Carolina, a ledger that includes the club’s first-ever win in regular season play in Indy’s only previous trip to WakeMed Park in 2014. The eight points gained against the RailHawks is the most for Indy Eleven against an NASL foe. Indy Eleven will look to make Carolina the first team it has defeated three times in its brief club history (has a pair of wins vs. 4 others clubs).

ALL-TIME INDY vs. CAR RESULTS

Friday @ CAR 7:30 p.m. ET
July 11, 2015 vs. CAR        2-1 W
April 25, 2015 vs. CAR       1-1 D

Sept. 27, 2014 vs. CAR      0-1 L
July 12, 2014 @ CAR         2-1 W
April 12, 2014 vs.CAR        1-1 D

 

INFIRMARY UPDATE – EVEN HALLOWEEN CAN'T MASK INJURIES 

Half of Indy Eleven’s 26-man roster remains on the injury list heading into Friday’s finale at Carolina, leaving interim coach Tim Regan few options to field a first XI. Changes from last weekend’s contest have seen Judson McKinney upgraded to questionable, while Kristian Nicht was added to the infirmary update after seeing a nagging Achilles injury flare up this week in training.

See the top page of the Indy Eleven Game Notes for the full list of maladies on the Community Health Network Injury Report.

BROWN & MARES STREAKING DOWN THE STRETCH

Indy Eleven midfielder Dylan Mares is closing the season out strong, having notched either a goal or an assist in three straight games:

• ï‚· GWA on 10/24 v. FTL (free kick, 43’ Brown goal)
• ï‚· Goal on 10/17 v. MNU (opening 39’ tally in 3-1 W)
• ï‚· Goal on 10/10 v SAS (69’ equalizer in 1-2 L)

Even after missing a month-and-a-half of the season due to surgery on his right meniscus, the 23-year-old Mares is pacing the team with 5 goals and assists.

Perhaps the only player hotter than Mares right now is forward Brian Brown, who continued his torrid October with the game-winning tally last Saturday against Fort Lauderdale. His team-leading third GWG was his third tally in four games, pushed him into a tie for the team lead with Mares on 5 goals and gave the 22-year-old goals in back-to-back for the first time during his Indy tenure.

NICHT TURNS 50

Veteran netminder Kristian Nicht became the second player to hit the 50-game mark in competitive action (47 NASL games & 3 U.S. Open Cup ties) for Indy Eleven last Saturday, when he made 2 saves in a 2-1 win over Fort Lauderdale. The result pushed Nicht’s record on the season back above the .500 mark to 7W-7D-6L, while the 33-year-old ranks T-8th across the NASL with 55 saves in his 20 league games in 2015. 

SPOILER ALERT

Indy Eleven might have been the first team eliminated for a spot in The Championship starting next weekend, but that doesn’t mean the “Boys in Blue” haven’t had an impact. First Indy Eleven spoiled Minnesota’s attempt at the Fall Season title and possible #1 seed by downing the Loons in a comprehensive 3-1 win at Carroll Stadium on Oct. 17.

That was followed last weekend by a 2-1 defeat of Fort Lauderdale that pushed the Strikers a point below Tampa Bay for the fourth and final spot in the NASL’s four-team postseason competition.

WHO TO WATCH, INDY ELEVEN EDITION – MF DON SMART

Once again the Indy Eleven player to watch, Smart continued his streak of strong performances and is now tops on the team’s all-time appearances chart in NASL play with 51 (Nicht 2nd at 47, Erick Norales 3rd with 44). His goal last Saturday against FTL was his 6th career goal in NASL play with Indy, drawing him even with Mike Ambersley for 2nd place on the all-time chart (now 2 tallies behind Kleberson) while his assist on Brian Brown’s 55th minute goal on Oct. 17 vs. Minnesota was the 3rd of the season, placing him alone in 2nd place in 2015 behind just Dylan Mares, who sits on 5 helpers.

His 6th helper in an Indy Eleven uniform now has him one behind the team’s all-time lead in the category, which Mares took for himself last Saturday. Smart is also neck-and-neck with Mares for the all-time lead in game-winning assists with 3 – Smart took the lead on 10/17 v. MNU, but Mares equaled him last weekend vs. FTL

WHO TO WATCH, RAILHAWKS EDITION – MF TIYI SHIPALANE

The Struggling Carolina RailHawks have failed to score in their past two matches, falling 4-0 to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and 1-0 to the Tampa Bay Rowdies last Saturday. Those past two matches, they have been without MF Nazmi Albadawi, who scored three times in the RailHawks' past two victories earlier this month. 

In his place, the RailHawks will need a big performance from Shipalane, who has posted six goals this season and ranks second in the NASL with eight assists.