The 2021 season has already been a breakout campaign for Ricky Ruiz and the Chattanooga Red Wolves.
Their next mission is to continue that success and reach the final USL League One match of the year.
Ruiz, a 25-year-old midfielder, tied the third-year soccer league’s record for most regular-season assists with 10, and he was also sensational as the Red Wolves made the first playoff match in club history a 2-1 overtime victory against North Texas in the quarterfinals.
Ruiz stole a pass deep in North Texas territory to set up Jonathan Ricketts’ cross, which resulted in an own goal by the visitors in the seventh minute of last Saturday night’s match at CHI Memorial Stadium in East Ridge. Five minutes later, Ruiz got the job done defensively, sliding in front of Chattanooga’s goal to deny a second look for North Texas after a free kick rebounded off the crossbar.
He also helped closed out the victory with a big play in the second 15-minute period of overtime.