The NASL-leading Carolina RailHawks (12-1-1) take their 10-match winning and 13-match unbeaten streaks to Minnesota on Saturday.

The RailHawks will meet the Stars at the National Sports Center at 8:30 p.m. EST, and they will remain on the road through next week, when they’re set to meet Edmonton at Foote Field on July 13.

With the season half completed, the RailHawks have built a 13-point lead in the NASL table, thanks to a consistent run of form since the season kicked off in April.

The RailHawks have been just as solid on the road this season as they have been at home. Carolina is unbeaten on the road (5-1-0), and since drawing Minnesota 1-1 on April 30, the RailHawks have won a club-record five straight road matches. They have outscored the opposition 16-5 in road matches.

In addition to leading the table, the RailHawks also lead the league in goals scored (33), goal differential (plus-22) and goals per game (2.21). They have scored at least two goals in 11 of 14 games this season, and no team has shut them out.

Forward Etienne Barbara has been at the forefront of the offensive onslaught. He has 14 goals and seven assists, and he has scored a goal or assist in all but two games this season. Forward Pablo Campos has contributed six goals and one assist, and Nick Zimmerman has added five goals, including two in the last three games. Midfielder Jonny Steele has six assists, and Floyd Franks four.

Despite a handful of changes across the backline, the RailHawks have been just as impressive defensively as they’ve been on the offensive end. The RailHawks’ 11 goals allowed are fewest in the league, as is their goals against average (0.786). Goalkeeper Brad Knighton has played all 1,260 minutes of the season in goal, and he leads the league in shutouts (five).

Minnesota (4-7-3) enters the weekend in fourth place on 19 points, three behind third-place Puerto Rico and 18 back of the RailHawks. In order to keep their road winning streak alive, the RailHawks will have to do what no one has done this season at the National Sports Center – beat the Stars. Minnesota is 2-5-0 at home this year. At one point, they posted three straight home shutouts, and no team has scored more than one goal in a game at the NSC. Goalkeeper Joe Warren is second in the league with 52 saves and four shutouts. Forward Devin Del Do leads the team with five goals, and Simone Bracellelo has four.

LAST TIME OUT

The RailHawks defeated Montreal 2-0 on Sunday at WakeMed Soccer Park for their 10th straight win.

Forward Pablo Campos scored the game-opening goal in the 30th minute, and forward Nick Zimmerman added another four minutes later. Midfielders Chris Nurse and Jonny Steele assisted the two goals.

Goalkeeper Brad Knighton had three saves and earned his fifth shutout of the season.

SERIES HISTORY

Saturday’s match will be the second of four between the RailHawks and Minnesota this season. They’ll play the final two matches at WakeMed Soccer Park on Aug. 17 and Sept. 24.

In the season’s first meeting on April 30, the RailHawks and Stars played to a 1-1 draw at the National Sports Center. Etienne Barbara converted a 59th-minute penalty that saw the RailHawks go up 1-0, but Minnesota answered back quickly. In the 66th minute, Simone Bracellelo capitalized in a Carolina giveaway to even that match at goal apiece. The RailHawks were held to a season-low five shots, while goalkeeper Brad Knighton had one of his busiest nights of the season. He finished the night with five saves.

In the all-time series, the RailHawks are 0-1-2 against Minnesota. The Stars won both matches in 2010 by scores of 1-0, though the RailHawks did prevail 4-0 on aggregate in the playoffs. The Stars are the only team in the NASL that the RailHawks have not defeated in 2011, and they were the only team the RailHawks did not beat during the 2010 regular season.

RUSIN PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Carolina defender and captain Brad Rusin was named the NASL Defensive Player of the Week for Week 13, the third time this season he’s earned the award.

Rusin led a defensive effort on Sunday that held Montreal to just three shots on goal, and the RailHawks earned their fifth shutout of the season.

RUSIN, PATTERSON MOVE TO EUROPE

Carolina captain Brad Rusin and goalkeeper Caleb Patterson left the team earlier this week on transfers to separate European clubs.

Rusin went to HB Køge of the Danish Superliga, and Patterson moved to Atlético Clube de Portugal of the Portuguese second division.

Rusin was in the midst of a tremendous season with the RailHawks in 2011. He appeared in 12 matches, played 1,080 minutes and scored one goal. His presence in the middle of the backline helped the RailHawks post a league-leading 0.786 goals against average and five shutouts, and he was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Week three times.

Patterson did not see any time with the RailHawks in 2011. However, he enjoyed his best season as a professional with Carolina in 2009. That season, he went 7-3-5 in league play and posted a 0.53 goals against average, which still stands as a club record. He also had 10 shutouts.

CAPTAIN KUPONO

Brad Rusin’s transfer to Denmark not only created an opening along the backline, it also created a vacancy for the RailHawks’ captaincy.

Defender Kupono Low will assume the captain’s armband and become the fourth captain in club history. Low has worn the armband on several occasions the last few years, but now it will be permanent.

Low has been with the RailHawks for their entire existence. He has appeared in more matches (116) and logged more minutes (10,005) than any other player in club history. He has also scored 11 goals and nine assists for 31 points, placing him in the top five of the club’s all-time list in those three categories.

This season, Low has appeared in 13 matches and played 1,170 minutes.

NASL LEADERS

Not only are the RailHawks at the top of the NASL table, several players are among the league leaders in a handful of statistical categories.

Forward Etienne Barbara leads the league with 14 goals, seven assists and 35 points.

Forward Pablo Campos is tied for fourth in the league with six goals.

Midfielder Jonny Steele is second in the league with six assists, and midfielder Floyd Franks is tied for third with four assists.

Goalkeeper Brad Knighton leads the league in shutouts (five) and goals against average (0.786), and is second in saves (57).

PLAYER NOTES

• Pablo Campos’ ended his four-game goalless drought on Sunday when he scored the first goal of the game in the 30th minute.
• Nick Zimmerman has scored three goals in the last two games. He picked up his fifth of the season in the 34th minute on Sunday.
• Chris Nurse earned his third assist of the season Sunday night, setting up Pablo Campos’ 30th minute goal.
• Midfielder Stephen Glass saw his first action since June 4 on Sunday. He checked into the match in the 77th minute for Nick Zimmerman.
• Forward Brian Farber saw his first action since May 28 on Sunday. He checked in to the match in the 50th minute for Jonny Steele.
• Midfielder Matt Watson’s three-match point streak came to an end on Sunday.
• Forward Etienne Barbara was pointless against Montreal on Sunday, just the second time in 14 matches he did not record a goal or assist.

2011 STAT LEADERS

Appearances: Floyd Franks, Etienne Barbara, Nick Zimmerman, Brad Knighton (14)
Starts: Floyd Franks, Nick Zimmerman, Brad Knighton (14)
Minutes:Floyd Franks, Brad Knighton (1,260)
Goals: Etienne Barbara (14)
Assists:Etienne Barbara (7)
Shots: Etienne Barbara (44)
Yellow cards:Kupono Low, John Krause (5)
Red cards:Pablo Campos, Jonny Steele (1)
Saves: Brad Knighton (57)

NASL TABLE

NASL SCHEDULE – WEEK 13

Saturday, July 9

Atlanta vs Ft. Lauderdale, 7:30 p.m.
Lockhart Stadium, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Tampa Bay vs Puerto Rico, 8:05 p.m.
Estadio Juan Ramon Loubriel, Bayamon, PR

Carolina vs Minnesota, 8:30 p.m.
National Sports Center, Blaine, Minn. 

NASL RESULTS – WEEK 12

Wednesday, June 29

Puerto Rico 0, Montreal 0
Stade Saputo, Montreal, Que.

Tampa Bay 1, Ft. Lauderdale 1
Lockhart Stadium, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Sunday, July 3

Carolina 2, Montreal 0
WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, N.C. 

Monday, July 4

Puerto Rico 4, Atlanta 3
Atlanta Silverbacks Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.

Tampa Bay 4, Ft. Lauderdale 2
Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Edmonton 1, Minnesota 1
National Sports Center, Blain, Minn.

NEXT UP

The RailHawks will remain on the road until their mid-week match-up with Edmonton at Foote Field on Wednesday, July 13. Following that match, they will have a 10-day break before returning to WakeMed Soccer Park to face Edmonton on July 23 and Atlanta on July 30.

2011 NASL STATISTICS