PITTSBURGH (Aug. 16, 2025) — The Pittsburgh Riverhounds grabbed an early lead, but they were unable to hold off the high-scoring Charleston Battery in a 2-1 defeat tonight at Highmark Stadium.
Danny Griffin scored after 11 minutes for the Hounds (7-7-6), but the Battery (14-4-2) — the highest scoring team in the USL Championship and holding the league’s second-best record — won through goals by Rubio Rubin and Arturo Rodriguez.
The loss ends the Hounds’ nine-match unbeaten streak, as the team fell for the first time since a 1-0 loss on June 14 at the Indy Eleven. A record crowd of 6,115 took in the match, the largest ever for a regular-season match at Highmark Stadium and the second-largest overall.
First half
Hounds goalie Eric Dick made an important save in the 10th minute, positioning himself well to deny Rubin from close range. That helped send the Hounds on the attack, and Griffin turned in an exceptional effort on the goal.
The defensive midfielder began the attack with a long diagonal ball from the Hounds’ half that found Robbie Mertz in stride more than 50 yards away. Mertz slowed play down and moved the ball to Luke Biasi, who sent a cross to the head of Beto Ydrach at the back post.
By that time, Griffin had covered nearly 80 yards of ground to arrive late in the box, and he turned Ydrach’s header toward goal. The initial shot struck the right post, but Griffin finished his own rebound for his fifth goal of the season, setting a new career best.
The Hounds nearly took their lead to halftime, but in stoppage time, MD Myers found room to run free on the left, and he chipped a high ball to the back post, where Rubin arrived first and headed home from close range.
Second half
The Battery kept the pressure on after the break and pulled ahead in the 55th minute.
Myers pounced on a deflected pass in the Hounds box, but Dick read the play well to fly off his line and break up the attempt before Myers could shoot. But the loose ball fell right to the feet of Rodriguez, and he placed his shot well to score around Dick and between retreating defenders.
The Hounds were unlucky not to pull even again in the 74th minute after Hounds newcomer Chase Boone fired a low, hard pass across goal from the left. Augi Williams lunged to get a touch at the back post, but he couldn’t make a clean connection, and Battery goalie Luis Zamudio — a one-time Hounds player — scrambled across goal to make the save and keep the loose ball from trickling over the line.
The last excellent chance came in the 84th minute when Charles Ahl crossed from the left side. Bradley Sample won the header cleanly and turned it toward goal, only to be denied by the crossbar.
Modelo Man of the Match
Danny Griffin got back on the scoresheet early in the match, and he remained active throughout. He attempted five shots in the match, won possession five times and had three interceptions in addition to winning 5 of 7 duels.
What’s next?
The Hounds head back on the road for the first time in August when they face Birmingham Legion FC at 8 p.m. next Saturday, Aug. 23. The Legion (4-9-7) were off this weekend but play Wednesday at Rhode Island FC in the USL Jägermeister Cup quarterfinals.
Riverhounds SC lineup (4-2-3-1) — Eric Dick; Luke Biasi, Guillaume Vacter, Sean Suber, Perrin Barnes; Jackson Walti, Danny Griffin; Robbie Mertz (Charles Ahl 69’), Beto Ydrach (Bradley Sample 69’), Bertin Jacquesson (Chase Boone 69’); Augi Williams
Charleston Battery (4-2-3-1) — Luis Zamudio; Langston Blackstock, Leland Archer, Graham Smith, Douglas Martinez (Nate Dossantos 64’); Aaron Molloy, Emilio Ycaza; Jeremy Kelly (Chris Allan 86’), Rubio Rubin (Cal Jennings 72’), Arturo Rodriguez (Houssou Landry 72’); MD Myers (Michael Edwards 86’)
Scoring summary
PIT — Danny Griffin 11’
CHS — Rubio Rubin 45+1’ (MD Myers)
CHS — Arturo Rodriguez 55’
Discipline summary
CHS — Graham Smith 38’ (caution – reckless foul)
CHS — Head coach Ben Pirmann 59’ (caution – dissent)
