Austin FC II and Red Bull New York II grab the headlines after Matchweek 17, with both clubs continuing to make noise in their respective conferences.
Austin FC II set a new MLS NEXT Pro record for consecutive regular-season victories after a 2-0 win over St Louis CITY2, while Red Bull II has rediscovered its championship form with back-to-back 5-0 victories.
Let’s take a look at how this week’s Top 10 Power Rankings have shaken out.
Austin FC II made history on Sunday, setting a new MLS NEXT Pro record for consecutive regular-season victories with their ninth straight win.
Jorge Alastuey and Vlad Dănciuțiu provided the goals in a 2-0 victory over St Louis CITY2, while Austin's defense continued its dominant campaign by recording its eighth clean sheet of the season.
VerDos now return home to face Colorado Rapids 2 and will have a chance to extend their record-setting streak to 10 consecutive wins.
Last match: 2-0 win at St Louis CITY2
Next match: vs. Colorado Rapids 2 on 07/05
A return home could not have come at a better time for Houston Dynamo 2 after suffering their third consecutive defeat, this time a 3-1 loss to LAFC2.
Houston's night started on the wrong foot with the hosts striking less than a minute into the match after capitalizing on an early giveaway.
Dynamo 2 responded with a Gustavo Dohmann goal just before halftime, but LAFC2 found two more goals after the break to secure the victory.
Houston will return home after a grueling 10-match road trip and hope some home cooking helps them return to their early-season form.
Last match: 3-1 loss at LAFC2
Next match: vs. MNUFC2 on 07/05
Crown Legacy FC saw an early two-goal lead disappear but still walked away with two points against Atlanta United 2 despite being reduced to 10 men in the second half.
The result was enough to move Kevin Sawchak's side into second place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Next up is a rematch with Orlando City B. The two sides met back in April, when CLFC came away with a shootout victory.
Last match: 3-3 tie, 4-3 SOW at Atlanta United 2
Next match: vs. Orlando City B on 07/05
Are RBNY II back?
That’s the question everyone in the Eastern Conference is asking after the defending champions followed up one 5-0 victory with another, this time taking down rivals Philadelphia Union II.
Dennis Nelich was the star of the show, scoring a hat trick and leading an attack that suddenly looks as dangerous as it did during last year’s title run.
With back-to-back wins under their belt, RBNY II will head to FC Cincinnati 2 looking to extend their winning streak to three and continue their climb back up the standings.
Last match: 5-0 win vs. Philadelphia Union II
Next match: at FC Cincinnati 2 on 07/05
A late goal from Kevin Gbamblé helped Columbus Crew 2 rescue a point on the road against Orlando City B before ultimately earning the extra point in the shootout.
Johann Chirinos gave Crew 2 the lead in the first half, but Orlando City B responded after the break with two unanswered goals to take control of the match.
Just when it looked like Columbus would leave Kissimmee empty-handed, Nicolás Rincón found Gbamblé in the 89th minute for the equalizer.
The result capped off an unbeaten June for Crew 2, who enter July sitting atop the Eastern Conference standings.
Last match: 2-2 tie, 5-4 SOW at OCB
Next match: at New England Revolution II on 07/15
New England Revolution II bounced back from last week's loss to Chicago Fire II with an impressive 3-1 road victory over TFC II.
Revs II trailed 1-0 at halftime, but Damario McIntosh and Jared Smith helped spark a second-half turnaround as New England scored three unanswered goals to earn the road win.
They'll have a golden opportunity to keep climbing the table with three consecutive home matches coming up in July.
Last match: 3-1 win at TFC II
Next match: at TFC II on 06/28
St Louis CITY2 fell 2-0 at home to Austin FC II in Matchweek 17, closing out June without a win across their three matches.
David Critchley’s side will look to bounce back quickly as they head to Texas on July 4th to help christen North Texas SC’s new stadium.
Last match: 2-0 loss vs. Austin FC II
Next match: at North Texas SC on 07/04
A late goal prevented Orlando City B from taking all three points at home, as OCB settled for one point after falling to Columbus Crew 2 in a shootout.
Justin Hylton was the standout for OCB, scoring twice in the second half to help his side take the lead and then converting the club's first penalty in the shootout.
The Lions will now hit the road for three consecutive matches to begin July as they look to stay near the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
Last match: 2-2 tie, 4-3 SOL vs. Columbus Crew 2
Next match: at Crown Legacy FC on 07/05
A second-half double from Jacob Heisner proved to be the difference in a back-and-forth match as Timbers2 fell 3-2 to Earthquakes II last weekend.
Despite the loss, Portland finished its four-match stretch during June with two wins and two losses, keeping Timbers2 among the top teams in the Western Conference standings.
Next up is a rivalry showdown against Tacoma Defiance, a team they defeated back in late May by 1-0.
Last match: 3-2 loss vs. Earthquakes II
Next match: at Tacoma Defiance on 07/05
Ventura County FC returns to the Top 10 Power Rankings after a convincing 3-1 victory over Real Monarchs on Saturday.
VCFC finished June unbeaten and among the top four teams in the Western Conference.
Sixteen-year-old Vicente Garcia continued to impress, scoring his third goal of the season and showcasing the finishing ability that makes him such a dangerous threat from the wing.
Last match: 3-1 win vs. Real Monarchs
Next match: at Whitecaps FC 2 on 07/07
