Everything You Need to Know Before Orange County SC Enters the 2025 US Open Cup

Sports stats



USL Orange County SC

Everything You Need to Know Before Orange County SC Enters the 2025 US Open Cup

April 14, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Orange County SC News Release


The 110th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup heats up as Orange County SC (USL Championship) travels to Lancaster Municipal Stadium to face USL League One newcomers AV ALTA FC on Tuesday, April 15, at 10:00 PM ET. This 3rd Round match pits a seasoned second-division side against an ambitious underdog looking to make a name in their debut season.

Orange County SC enters the match fresh off a 2-1 USL Championship victory over Sacramento Republic FC on April 12. This will be OCSC's 13th appearance in

The US Open Cup, the club has qualified for the competition every year since 2011.

With a lineup featuring standouts like goalkeeper Colin Shutler and midfield engine Chris Hegardt, OCSC will look to control the tempo and exploit their experience against lower-division opponents. Coming off a tightly contested 1-0 preseason win over AV Alta FC, Orange County knows not to underestimate their hosts.

For Orange County SC, a win keeps their hopes alive for a deep Cup run and a shot at the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup berth awarded to the champion, plus a share of the $1 million purse.

BUDDING RIVALRY

This is the first competitive meeting between the 2 local clubs. AV Alta FC currently plays in USL League One with aspirations to move into the USL Championship or USL Premier when the league implements Pro/Rel in 2028. AV Alta FC has built a fortress in Lancaster, so traveling OCSC fans should expect a raucous crowd looking to cheer the home team on to a cupset.

AV Alta FC top goal scorer Jimmie Villalobos will be ineligible to play in the round 3 match due to a 120' red card he received in the club's round 2 win over LAFC2. With Villalobos unavailable, AV Alta FC will look to former OCSC center forward Alexis Cerritos, who played in 3 games for the Orange & Black in 2020.

Players to Watch:

F Alexis Cerritos

GK Carlos Avilez

OCSC CUP DREAMS

OCSC looks to make it into the Round of 32 for the 4th time in club history and earn a chance to face an MLS club. Although based on current seeding, an MLS matchup isn't likely until the Round of 16. OCSC will look to Bryce Jamison and Lyam MacKinnon to lead the attack against AV Alta FC and will expect the defense to stand tall in support of net minder Colin Shutler. Look for Cameron Dunbar to return to the lineup and newcomer Vuk Latinovich to see more time on the back line. Youngsters Pedro Guimaraes, Ben Barjolo, and Ashton Miles should also feature in the result.

Expect some load management from OCSC on Tuesday, as OCSC will quickly shift focus to its 3rd game in 7 days, heading up to face NorCal rivals Oakland Roots SC for an afternoon game at the Oakland Coliseum on Saturday, April 19th

Players to Watch:

F Bryce Jamison

M Lyam MacKinnoon

All-time Record:

Orange County SC is 1-0-0 all-time against AV Alta FC in all competitions

Previous Matchup: Pre-Season Friendly

1-0 (W) February 15, 2025

Check out the Orange County SC Statistics

• Discuss this story on the United Soccer League Championship message board...

United Soccer League Championship Stories from April 14, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central