By Simon Fudge/whitecapsfc.com
USL Conference outfits Austin Aztex and FC Tampa Bay Rowdies lead the way among all 12 clubs in the USSF D-2 Pro League.
Rochester Rhinos also kept pace with the league's frontrunners this weekend, while Carolina RailHawks started a four-match road trip in very positive fashion.
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The action started with two games on Wednesday. In South Florida, Austin defeated Miami FC
3-1
, with all the goals coming in the first half. Yordany Alvarez and an own-goal by Kyle Veris gave the Aztex a two-goal lead before the Blues responded through Paulo Araujo Jr. English striker Eddie Johnson struck Austin's third goal before halftime. Meanwhile, in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico Islanders returned to league action and suffered a
2-1 home defeat
to Carolina RailHawks. Sallieu Bundu gave Carolina the lead before David Foley levelled matters for the Islanders late in the second half. Despite missing a penalty, Daniel Paladini scored the match winner in time added on at the end of the match.
On Thursday night, FC Tampa Bay Rowdies scored three first-half goals in a
3-1 home win
over NSC Minnesota Stars. The Rowdies goals came inside the first 26 minutes of the match at George M. Steinbrenner Field, with Gordon Kljestan, Aaron Wheeler, and Long Tan finding the scoresheet for the Florida club. The Stars lone reply came through Neil Hlavaty.
There were four matches on Saturday, with Minnesota ending a six-match winless run with a
3-2 victory
at home to struggling Athletic Club of St. Louis. Hlavaty, Daniel Wasson, and Kyle Altman had the goals for the Stars, while Luke Kreamalmeyer and Jefferson De Lima scored for St. Louis. In Maryland, Austin completed an undefeated month of May after a
2-0 win
at Crystal Palace Baltimore. Jamie Watson and Maxwell Griffin scored the goals for the Aztex. Tampa Bay also won again after a
2-1 home result
versus Puerto Rico. Wheeler and Aaron King scored in between Marcos Velez's strike for the Islanders at George M. Steinbrenner Field, as the Rowdies extended their unbeaten run to seven league matches. In Upstate New York, Rochester Rhinos avenged last weekend's defeat in Vancouver with a 2-1 home win over the Whitecaps at Marina Auto Stadium. Second-half goals by Aaron Pitchkolan and Anthony Hamilton gave the Rhinos victory, despite a late consolation strike by Ricardo Sanchez.
The lone game on Sunday saw Montreal Impact suffer their first home league defeat of the season after a
2-0 setback
versus Carolina. Goals by Etienne Barbara and Andriy Budnyy at Stade Saputo ensured the RailHawks' first-ever win in Montreal.