ST. LOUIS, MO (July 13, 2010) – AC St. Louis, playing in the U.S.S.F. Division II Pro League, face the NSC Minnesota Stars on Wednesday night, July 14, at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota. Kick-off is set for 7:00 p.m. CT. The game can be viewed via live streaming at www.ac-stlouis.com.

The game in Minnesota is the first of a four game road trip that will also see St. Louis travel to Austin, Texas for a match this Saturday night, July 17. AC St. Louis will then return home for two days before departing for Montreal, Quebec and Baltimore, Maryland for games on July 21 and July 24 respectively.

“We won’t approach this stretch of games any differently than what we have been doing over the past couple of weeks,” stated Head Coach Dale Schilly. “We are just maintaining a competitive level in training, and getting the guys to recognize the amount of work it is going to take for us to win games.”

Fresh off their 3-0 win on Saturday night over Montreal, which was Dale Schilly’s first as new head coach, AC St. Louis practiced Tuesday morning at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park before departing on an afternoon flight to Minnesota. Wednesday night’s game will be the third time these two clubs have met this year, and will also be the third time St. Louis has played away to Minnesota. The last meeting between these teams came in the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on June 22. St. Louis posted a 1-0 win that night to advance in the tournament, eventually being eliminated by the MLS’ Los Angeles Galaxy.

Wednesday’s match marks the halfway point of the season for AC St. Louis; a season that now sees them in playoff contention for the first time. St. Louis has climbed to just three points out of fourth place by compiling a record of 2-1-2 in their last five league games. Minnesota is currently in fourth place in the league’s opposing conference, but since they have already played 18 games the teams chasing the Stars have several games in hand on them. Minnesota needs a win to keep their competition for a playoff spot at arms length. St. Louis, a team certainly coming together, needs a win to propel themselves off the foot of the table for the first time this year.

“The team is definitely changing,” said forward Chris Salvaggione who scored a spectacular bicycle-kick opener on Saturday night against Montreal. “We have plenty of speed and attacking power in this team. Now we can use it because we are not always just trying to defend and hold on.”

Previous matchups between these teams have proved interesting. St. Louis had a chance to win the first time these clubs met on May 29. St. Louis led by scores of 1-0 and 2-1 before eventually falling late and dropping a 3-2 decision to the Stars. St. Louis got a measure of revenge three weeks later with their 1-0 win over Minnesota in the U.S. Open Cup. Wednesday night’s game should have a similar tone, except that St. Louis returns to Minnesota a much more healthier and confident team. The mood of the St. Louis squad has certainly changed.

“As a team we are all starting to trust each other, which is always a key to having some success,” said captain Jack Traynor. “We have a new mentality since Dale has arrived. We don’t try to sneak wins anymore. We try to win games outright now. I think that showed in our last game with a 3-0 victory. We are simply playing more soccer now. This new staff has definitely turned our attitude around as a team.”

AC St. Louis returns home again on July 28 against the Portland Timbers. Tickets are still available and can be obtained by calling 1-888-STL-GOAL, or by visiting www.ac-stlouis.com.