USL Eastern Conference Power Rankings, Week 12

Another exciting week of Eastern Conference soccer has gone by and left its mark on our Power Rankings. These rankings are accurate through Saturday's Louisville v Wilmington match.

Important to note on our rankings: 1100 is considered an average club, with tiebreakers going to the club that has played more matches.

Read up on our system here, and its slight improvement here.

Rankings

1 (Last Week- 1). Louisville City (1146)

Last Week: Draw 2-2 vs Wilmington on Saturday

This Week: @ Rochester (Saturday)

Louisville stretched their unbeaten streak to 11 matches despite giving up a tying goal in the final moments of their match against Wilmington.

2 (2). New York Red Bulls II (1135)

Last Week: Won 1-0 vs Harrisburg on Thursday

This Week: @ Orlando City B (Sunday)

The Baby Bulls posted a solid win on Thursday to hold onto their second spot of the rankings.

3 (3). FC Cincinnati (1128)

Last Week: Won 2-1 vs FC Montreal on Saturday

This Week: vs Toronto FC II (Saturday)

In front of another big crowd, FC Cincinnati pushed their unbeaten streak to eight straight. They close out their recent home stand against Toronto FC II on Saturday.

4 (4). Rochester (1114)

Last Week: Lost 2-1 @ Toronto FC II on Saturday

This Week: vs Louisville City (Saturday)

The Rhinos have little time to dwell on their surprising loss to Toronto FC II, as the current rankings leader Louisville City is coming for visit to Sahlen's Stadium this Saturday.

5 (5). Charleston (1110)

Last Week: Lost 2-1 vs Orlando City B on Saturday

This Week: vs Harrisburg (Saturday)

After having their two year long home unbeaten streak broken a fortnight ago, Charleston have now lost two in a row at home. The Battery will look to return to their winning ways at home when the struggling City Islanders come visit MUSC Health Stadium this Saturday.

6 (8). Richmond (1108)

Last Week: Won 3-1 vs Pittsburgh on Saturday

This Week: @ Charlotte (Saturday)

Richmond make the biggest gain of the week after snapping their winless streak.

7 (6). Charlotte (1107)

Last Week: Lost 1-0 vs Bethlehem on Friday

This Week: vs Richmond (Saturday)

A loss to Bethlehem Steel extended the Independence's winless streak to five straight. Charlotte will be looking to break that streak and regain some momentum against Richmond this weekend.

8 (7). Wilmington (1105)

Last Week: Drew 2-2 @ Louisville on Saturday

This Week: vs Bethlehem (Friday)

After an impressive draw over our top ranked team in Louisville, the Hammerheads look to move back into the top half of the rankings when they welcome Bethlehem to Legion Stadium on Friday.

9 (10). Bethlehem (1094)

Last Week: Won 1-0 @ Charlotte on Friday

This Week: @ Wilmington (Friday)

Bethlehem posted only their second win over a top half cub, defeating Charlotte on the road this past Friday. A match against a Wilmington team that is coming off an impressive draw over Louisville is next for the Steel.

10 (9). Harrisburg (1085)

Last Week: Lost 1-0 @ New York Red Bulls II on Thursday

This Week: @ Charleston (Saturday)

Having suffered three straight losses, the City Islanders drop a spot in the rankings. An away match against Charleston might make it four straight.

11 (11). Orlando City B (1084)

Last Week: Won 2-1 @ Charleston on Saturday

This Week: vs New York Red Bulls II (Sunday)

After a win over the highly ranked Charleston Battery, OCB face a top-half club for a fifth straight week when they host New York Red Bulls II. Will the Baby Bulls become another casualty of this Florida club that have suddenly been punching above their apparent weight?

12 (13). Toronto FC II (1073)

Last Week: Won 2-1 vs Rochester on Saturday

This Week: vs FC Montreal (Wednesday), @ FC Cincinnati (Saturday)

A win over top four club Rochester moves Toronto FC II out of the bottom two. A double header with FC Montreal at home and FCC away offer them a chance to widen the gap from the bottom.

13 (12). Pittsburgh (1069)

Last Week: Lost 3-1 @ Richmond on Saturday

This Week: vs FC Montreal (Saturday)

The Dave Brandt era in Pittsburgh has yet to see its first win and a loss in Richmond last week made it three in a row since the Riverhounds have earned even a point. A match against rankings basement dwellers FC Montreal offer a chance to change that.

14 (14). FC Montreal (1053)

Last Week: Lost 2-1 @ FC Cincinnati on Saturday

This Week: @ Toronto FC II (Wednesday), @ Pittsburgh (Saturday)

Another one goal loss for the Canadian outfit, who are reaching new lows as the weeks progress. A double header against Toronto FC II and Pittsburgh Riverhounds offer them a chance to start moving in the right direction.

Notable

Despite wins, losses, and ties, the top five remains unchanged from last week. Could we be starting to see the top seeds of the playoffs forming?

Richmond took advantage of their win over Pittsburgh to make the biggest gain of the week back into the top half of the rankings.

At the other end of the rankings, Pittsburgh and Toronto FC II switch places after both sides posted opposite results this past weekend. FC Montreal - whose losses outnumber the club's goals scored - continue to slip further behind in the rankings.

What are your thoughts on the rankings? Which club is poised to move up in the coming weeks? Let us know in the comments below!