TAMPA, Fla. — Ben Bender is adjusting to life in the USL.

The midfielder is on loan from Major League Soccer’s Charlotte FC.

“The MLS may be a little bit faster from what I’ve seen, but you know the USL is a great level, it’s so competitive," Bender said. "And you know, I want to come in here and not expect anything to be given to me so, you know, I have to be on my a game from the start of every game."

Bender is already making an impact, bringing speed and MLS experience.

“He’s played 50 MLS games so, to get him here is a great get for us, I think," said head coach Robbie Neilson. "He’ll bring goals. He’ll bring attacking threat. He’ll bring quality."

With six games left in the regular season, the Rowdies are making a playoff push and the team hopes Bender will play a big role.

“Trying to get ourselves secured a good playoff spot, and also the playoffs are exceptionally important, so to get a guy like him in here of his caliber has really boosted our squad,” Neilson said.

In 2022, Bender was selected as the No. 1 overall pick by Charlotte FC in the MLS SuperDraft.

But during the 2023 season, he was sidelined with a knee injury.

He said his goals while in Tampa Bay are to get back to form and win for the Rowdies.

“I want to try and make a run in the playoffs, and hopefully I can bring my experience from that level and the speed of play and help the team score and assist, win some games," Bender said.

“It’s a good group of guys, especially in the locker room, a lot of tight-knit guys and you know hopefully, we can go far the season and make a run in the playoffs and hopefully win," he added.

Chasing those wins is something Bender has been doing since he started playing soccer at 4 years old.

“I think it was kind of the idea of pursuing excellence that my dad instilled in my brothers and I," Bender said. "And he always told us to try and outwork other people, figure out how to be the best every game, and that’s what I’ve tried to do from a young age.”