TAMPA, Fla. (April 23, 2019)– North Carolina FC forward Ben Speas was selected to the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 7 of the 2019 season. Speas was a key player in NCFC’s 3-0 Southern Derby victory over the Charlotte Independence and scored the game's final goal.



Speas is the third NCFC player to earn the honor this season. He joins Alex Tambakis (Week 5) and Tommy McCabe (Week 1) as Team of the Week honorees from earlier this season.



North Carolina FC returns home to face Hartford Athletic on Saturday, April 27 at 7 p.m. at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. Tickets are available online or by calling the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144.



USL Championship Team of the Week

GK – Diego Restrepo, Austin Bold FC: Restrepo recorded back-to-back shutouts as Bold FC handed Phoenix its first loss of the season and then played to a draw with El Paso Locomotive FC.



D – Akeem Ward, Loudoun United FC: Ward put in a stellar display on the right side of Loudoun’s defense, recording an assist and two key passes while winning 6 of 8 duels, making four interceptions and seven recoveries.



D – Duke Lacroix, Reno 1868 FC: Lacroix scored an 89th-minute game-winner to lift Reno past New Mexico United to cap a performance that saw him post 15 recoveries and complete 44 of 54 passes.



D – Andrew Gutman, Charlotte Independence: Gutman scored in the Independence’s first win of the season against Bethlehem Steel FC, and for the week had four key passes, 22 recoveries and completed 77 of 97 passes.



M – Ben Speas, North Carolina FC: Speas played a key role in North Carolina’s derby victory against Charlotte, recording eight recoveries and two key passes in addition to his second-half goal.



M – Maalique Foster, Rio Grande Valley FC: Foster had a goal and assist to lead to the Toros to a 5-2 victory against Las Vegas Lights FC.



M – Jarad van Schaik, Charleston Battery: Van Schaik scored a pair of outstanding goals, won 8 of 14 duels and made four recoveries as the Battery powered past Nashville SC in a 3-1 victory.



M – Junior Flemmings, Phoenix Rising FC: Flemmings had two goals and one assist to lead Phoenix to a 4-0 victory on Saturday night against Tacoma Defiance.



F – Foster Langsdorf, Portland Timbers 2: Langsdorf scored both goals, including the equalizer with four minutes to go, as T2 moved to the top of the Western Conference in a 2-2 draw with the Switchbacks.



F – Dane Kelly, Indy Eleven: Kelly opened his scoring account for the season with three goals and one assist across a pair of Indy victories on the road against Swope Park and Bethlehem.



F – Brian Gomez, San Antonio FC: Gomez scored a brace for San Antonio in its visit to Real Monarchs SLC, while recording six recoveries and completing 14 of 19 passes.



Bench: Cody Laurendi (OKC), Paco Craig (LOU), Sam Fink (STL), Rony Argueta (COS), Maikel Chang (SLC), Tyler Pasher (IND), Jason Johnson (PHX)

###