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Riverhounds Academy hires Amy Wisniowski as assistant director of speed and strength

PITTSBURGH (November 7, 2019) – The Riverhounds Academy has hired Amy Wisniowski as its assistant director of speed and strength.

Wisniowski, who has previously helped with speed and strength initiatives in a part-time role, will begin her full-time duties starting immediately. She will work with Director of Speed and Strength Mike Whiteman.

“We are happy to offer Amy a larger role in the Academy to help grow the speed and strength programming under the guidance of Mike Whiteman,” Academy Director Scott Gibson said. “A major focus for Amy will be to work with our Grassroots-level players in developing a curriculum that is age appropriate and fun for the athletes. Amy has a passion and work ethic that will be a tremendous asset to all areas of the Academy.”

Wisniowski will assist Whiteman in all areas of Academy speed and strength training and will be in charge of growing speed and strength curriculum at the Grassroots age groups.

In addition, she will add small group and private sessions to her schedule and offer group training sessions for Riverhounds Development Academy parents. This would be a new venture for the club and is in high demand.

“Amy has worked tirelessly, growing her training acumen over the past few years while building her own niche that highlights advanced mobility and core techniques,” Whiteman said. “This level of expertise in combination with the high level of more traditional performance training progressions currently administered has proven to be too big of an asset to not be added full time. Amy will serve in a tremendously important role in preparing the grassroots program to step right into the Academy’s speed and strength program.”

From 2011-14, Wisniowski worked as an academy administrator. Since this stretch, she continued to work with the Riverhounds Academy in a part-time role, helping Whiteman with speed and strength training.

For more information on the Riverhounds Academy’s speed and strength program, visit https://www.riverhounds.com/speed-and-strength.

Hounds fall in conference semifinals to Louisville, 2-1

PITTSBURGH (November 2, 2019) – No. 1 seed Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC dropped a 2-1 result to No. 4 seed Louisville City FC in extra time on Saturday night at Highmark Stadium. The loss eliminates the club from the USL Championship playoffs.

A record 6,073 fans attended the match. This breaks Highmark Stadium’s previous attendance record, which was set last weekend (5,627).

Louisville’s Paolo DelPiccolo netted the game-winning goal in the 118th minute. Thomas Vancaeyezeele scored Pittsburgh’s lone goal in the 11th minute.

First Half

Riverhounds SC came out of the gate blazing, wasting no time to get involved on the attacking end.

Mouhamed Dabo nearly opened up the scoring in the 11th minute, but his chance was denied by a diving Chris Hubbard.

On the ensuing corner kick, Kenardo Forbes connected with Vancaeyezeele, who headed the ball into the back of the net to put the Hounds on the scoreboard.

The pace of play simmered down for the next 30 minutes or so, with neither team able to record a shot during that span.

Neco Brett fired the Hounds’ third shot on goal of the night in the 44th minute, but Louisville’s keeper Hubbard once again came up with a save.

After the first-45 minutes of play, Pittsburgh carried a 1-0 lead into the halftime break.

Second Half

Brett had another go at goal in the 50th minute, after dancing around several Louisville defenders. The 27-year-old booted a ball toward an open net, but a quick recovery from Louisville defender Paco Craig kept the score at 1-0.

Just a minute later, Louisville’s Luke Spencer knotted things at 1-1. Spencer sent a shot from the top of the penalty area passed Kyle Morton.

Spencer nearly found the back of the net again in the 79th minute, placing a shot just over the cage.

Both teams created a number of chances during the remainder of the half, but 90 minutes was not enough to decide the winner of the match.

Extra Time

Lousville had a chance to break the game open in the 94th minute on a run from Brian Ownby. Ownby sent a shot on goal, though Morton came off his mark and managed to shut down the attempt.

The Black and Gold responded with a long chance from Forbes, which sailed right of the cage.

Louisville’s Abdou Thiam fired the most dangerous shot of the opening period of extra time in the 105th minute, as his right footed-attempt rang off the post.

Louisville buried the game-winner in the 118th minute. DelPiccolo headed an effort from the center of the penalty area into the back of the net, giving his club a 2-1 lead.

Riverhounds SC was unable to retaliate in the final minutes of the match and lost its first game at Highmark Stadium in more than a year.

Hound of the Match

Thomas Vancaeyezeele made his presence known on both ends of the pitch. The defender buried his club’s lone goal of the match and finished with seven clearances and three interceptions.

Beyond the Stats, presented by Beyond Self Storage

Neco Brett led Riverhounds SC with three key passes on the night.

Lineups:

Riverhounds SC: Kyle Morton; Ryan James, Tobi Adewole, Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Joe Greenspan, Jordan Dover (Mark Forrest 117′); Kenardo Forbes, Robbie Mertz, Mouhamed Dabo, Kevin Kerr (Steevan Dos Santos 74′); Neco Brett

Subs not used: Austin Pack, Noah Franke, Dani Rovira, Uchenna Uzo, Anthony Velarde

Louisville City FC: Chris Hubbard; Oscar Jimenez, Paco Craig, Sean Totsch, Pat McMahon; Napo Matsoso (Brian Ownby 60′), Devon Williams, Magnus Rasmussen (Paolo DelPiccolo 85′); Niall McCabe, Luke Spencer (Abdou Mbacke Thiam 89′), Antoine Hoppenot (George Davis IV 97′)

Subs not used: Tim Dobrowolski, Alexis Souahy, Akil Watts

Scoring Summary:

PIT – Thomas Vancaeyezeele 11′ (Kenardo Forbes)

LOU – Luke Spencer 51′

LOU – Paolo DelPiccolo 118′

Misconduct Summary:

PIT – Joe Greenspan 48′ (caution)

LOU – Pat McMahon 54′ (caution)

LOU – Paco Craig 70′ (caution)

LOU – Luke Spencer 85′ (caution)

Head coach Bob Lilley

On his message to the players during the huddle after the match…

“It’s disappointing. They had a great season. Didn’t play well tonight in any phase. When we hit crosses, the movement in the box wasn’t good enough. We didn’t pass the ball all night, just kicked it forward. That’s disappointing as anything.”

On Louisville’s effort…

“Give Louisville credit. They were down 1-0, they tied it and they found a winner. They were definitely the better team in the overtime. Maybe not in the beginning of the of the first overtime, but the middle of the first and the second, they were the better team.”

On the team’s elimination…

“They had a great season. Crowd was great. It’s disappointing. We had all home games left, I know we haven’t lost in over a year at home. It’s a tough way to end the season. I’m proud of them for the year they had.”

Midfielder Kenardo Forbes

On Bob Lilley’s message after the game…

“He just said we didn’t execute the game plan, we didn’t keep it wide enough. Louisville is a good defensive team over the years they press us either way and we couldn’t get out. I think that’s on me, as the midfielder, to get us in position and I didn’t do that tonight.”

On how he would rate this season…

“To lose like this doesn’t do us any justice at the end of the day. It’s a good season, but we didn’t achieve the ultimate goal. I think it’s an okay season for me not a really good season because we didn’t get the ultimate goal.”

Midfielder Thomas Vancaeyezeele

On energy…

“We tried to keep the momentum from the last game, we tried to bring the same energy and get the same result. Unfortunately, that did not happen. So that’s really frustrating.”

On what the team could’ve changed…

“I think we didn’t keep the ball enough and they were feeling more comfortable having chances and you couldn’t get out so that was hard for us.”

On the winning goal…

“Really frustrating, you can see it going in and you can’t do anything about it. In my head I was like maybe we are going to score another one, but I couldn’t reach it, I couldn’t get it, really frustrating.”

Hounds to keep short memory in postseason

Last Saturday’s win over Birmingham Legion FC was a night to remember, a game filled with memories for both players and fans as Riverhounds SC downed the No. 10 seed for its first-ever playoff win at Highmark Stadium.

But while the 7-0 victory will go down as one of the greatest moments in Hounds playoff history, the players are looking ahead to the next task.

For a team with championship aspirations, living in the past cannot be a formula for future success. As much as the Hounds enjoyed the win, short memories and a renewed focus on their upcoming showdown with Louisville City FC this Saturday are all that matters right now.

“You just try to enjoy that Saturday night, but as soon as you wake up on Sunday you’re starting to prepare for the next week,” goalkeeper Kyle Morton said. “The more time you give yourself to prepare, the better off you’re going to be. So we just go about our business like any other week, Monday and Tuesday just start preparing for Saturday.”

Morton had arguably the best seat in the house last Saturday against Birmingham, looking out from his goal toward the visitors end of the stadium as the Hounds exploded for a five-goal first half in front of the Steel Army supporters section.

“The Steel Army is fantastic, and with the rain and everything it was cool to see everyone had stayed and were still extremely loud,” Morton said. “Fantastic atmosphere, and I hope we get the same thing on Saturday.”

As Pittsburgh progresses further through the postseason, the games get exponentially harder, and Saturday’s game against the two-time defending champions will no doubt test the Hounds.

Luckily, for that energy and atmosphere is one of the few things they can count on not changing over the course of one game.

“I think that’s the best part of where we’re at right now, to know that it’s not us facing other teams, they have to come here and face us, in our house,” defender Dani Rovira said. “I think that’s a huge boost to any team, to know they’re at home and it’s not going to be easy for them. Not just with us on the field, but with the thousands of fans that we have here.”

Pittsburgh had homefield advantage the last time these two squads faced off, a 0-0 draw back on Sept. 7 that saw Louisville stop all four Hounds shots on target.

The Black and Gold know that the home crowd alone will not be enough. For as impressive as the win over Birmingham was, Pittsburgh will need an even better effort if they want to come away with another victory against Louisville.

“They’re obviously a big team for the whole league, they have a name and everything, but there’s a reason we ended up first overall too,” Rovira said. “We’ve shown in the past couple months what we’re capable of, so it’s going to be a really good game. Every playoff game kind of has its own thing to it, a challenge for both teams, so we’re looking forward to that. Working through it, and not worrying about them, but about us. Keep rolling and doing what we’re doing.”

Game-Day Guide: Eastern Conference Semifinals

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC continues its championship push as it battles Louisville City FC in the USL Championship Eastern Conference Semifinals. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. this Saturday at Highmark Stadium.

THE MATCHUP
The Hounds will battle Louisville City FC, the two-time defending league champions. Pittsburgh holds the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference while Louisville is the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Saturday’s game will be the third time Pittsburgh and Louisville have clashed this season. The Riverhounds won the first matchup, 1-0, this past April in Louisville, but both teams played to a 0-0 draw at Highmark Stadium in September. Pittsburgh holds an unbeaten 13-0-7 record at Highmark Stadium this season across all competitions.

GATES OPEN
Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, and fans can enjoy $1 beers leading up until 7 p.m. kickoff.

WILL CALL
Fans can purchase Eastern Conference Semifinals tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Will Call at Highmark Stadium will be from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Friday and will reopen again on Saturday at 9 a.m. Due to high demand, fans planning to pick up tickets at the gate are encouraged to do so as early as possible to avoid long lines and wait times before Saturday’s match.

WHAT TO WEAR AND GIVEAWAYS
All fans are encouraged to wear black and gold, Riverhounds colors, to show their support for the team. In addition, the first 5,000 fans will receive a gold rally towel, courtesy of AHN. For official team gear, fans can visit the Riverhounds SC team shop.

PROMOTIONS
#1 Cochran will present a special Quick Kick Halftime Contest that fans can enter for the chance to win a brand-new Audi sedan.

CLEAR BAG POLICY
As part of an ongoing commitment to safety and security, Highmark Stadium will implement a policy that limits the size and type of bags that may be brought into Highmark Stadium.

Guests are discouraged from bringing any bags into Highmark Stadium, but outlined below is permissible. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation and patience as we strive to ensure minimal disruption or delays.

•   Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and do not exceed 12” x 6” x 12.” Official Riverhounds SC team logo clear plastic tote bags are available through the club store.
•   One-gallon clear plastic freezer bag (Ziploc bag or similar).
•   Small clutch bags or small purse, approximately the size of a hand 4.5” x 6.5”, with or without a handle or strap can be taken into the stadium with one of the clear plastic bag options.
•   Seat cushions and seat cushions with backs will be permitted. No larger than 16” wide with no arms or pockets allowed.
•   An exception will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection at a gate designated for this purpose.
•   Diaper bags are allowed but will be inspected and tagged.

Prohibited items include but are not limited to: purses larger than a clutch bag, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, luggage of any kind, computer bags and camera bags, or any bag larger than the permissible size.

Riverhounds SC is proud to partner with Beyond Self Storage to supply free clear bags for fans who may need one. Please note these are as supplies last for the match and not guaranteed to be in stock at time of entrance.

Please visit our clear bag policy for more information.

PARKING AND DIRECTIONS
Game-day parking is available for fans in the west parking lot under the Fort Pitt Bridge. Also, parking is available in surrounding lots in Station Square. Lots will fill up early, so be sure to plan accordingly

For more information, fans can check out our parking and directions guide.

PREVIEW: Riverhounds SC vs. Louisville City FC

PITTSBURGH (October 31, 2019) – No. 1 seed Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC heads into an Eastern Conference Semifinals showdown with No. 4 seed and two-time defending champion Louisville City FC at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Highmark Stadium. The match will be televised on WPNT 22 The Point.

The Hounds are unbeaten at Highmark Stadium this season, holding a 13-0-7 record at the venue across all competitions.

Pittsburgh enters the conference semifinals after dismantling Birmingham Legion FC, 7-0, in the conference quarterfinals. The seven goals scored tied a club record and Neco Brett became just the second Hound ever to score four goals in a single match.

Meanwhile, Louisville advances into the conference semifinals fresh off a 2-1 victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the conference quarterfinals.

Pittsburgh and Louisville met twice in the regular season. The Hounds won, 1-0, at Louisville on April 6 and tied the foe, 0-0, in Pittsburgh on Sept. 7.

DON’T MISS OUT

Fans can purchase Eastern Conference Semifinals tickets at ticketmaster.com.

The first 5,000 fans in attendance will receive a free gold rally towel, courtesy of AHN. Furthermore, fans can sign up for an opportunity to participate in a special Quick Kick halftime contest, presented by #1 Cochran, where they have a chance to win an Audi sedan.

Gates will open at 5:30 p.m., and the Hounds will offer $1 beers up until 7 p.m. kickoff.

Will Call at Highmark Stadium is open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on weekdays and will open at 9 a.m. on the day of the match. Due to high demand, fans planning to pick up tickets at the gate are encouraged to do so as early as possible to avoid long lines and wait times before the game.

MATCH INFORMATION:

Date: Saturday, November 2

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Highmark Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA

Television: WPNT 22 The Point

Streaming: ESPN+

Live Statistics: USL Championship Playoffs Center

Live Updates: Twitter at @RiverhoundsSC and #PITvLOU

RDA Weekend Recap – 10/30

While the Pro Team won 7-0 in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals over Birmingham Legion FC, the Riverhounds Development Academy notched a few good victories of its own with a light weekend schedule.

The 2007 Boys battled for the top spot in the Boys ECNL Midwest Conference in a home game against Ohio Premier. After a scoreless first half, the visitors caught the Hounds on a break and later added two more goals with the RDA throwing numbers forward, sending the Hounds to a 3-0 defeat.

Quick to shake off their first setback of the league season, the 07 Boys got goals from Garrett Chandler, Ethan Voight-Cherna, J.J. Vozar and Dante Sartori to take control Sunday in a 4-1 win against Ohio Elite. The Hounds built up well all match, and Sam Wessel added a penalty kick save for the Hounds.

The 2006 Boys also tried to knock Ohio Premier off the top spot in the conference Saturday, but after falling behind by two goals, a lone J.J. Simms strike with 15 minutes remaining wasn’t enough in a 2-1 defeat. The next day, it was Henry Gaston and Jackson Suski finding the net for the RDA in a 2-0 win over Ohio Elite, which puts the 06 and 07 Boys at 4-1-0 to end October.

Meanwhile the Academy East’s 2008 and 2009 Boys each hosted an exciting match in Connellsville on Sunday in the Great Lakes Alliance. The 08s went up and down the field with the Cleveland Force in a 4-4 game, and the 09s had half the goals but the same result, 2-2.

To keep up with all the happenings around the Riverhounds and the Riverhounds Development Academy, visit our Live Results page.

Sunday, Oct. 27

In Boys ECNL games at Montour Junction in Coraopolis:

• After being shut out the day before, the 07 Boys got back to producing goals in a big way with a 4-1 victory over Ohio Elite. Garrett Chandler, Ethan Voight-Cherna, JJ Vozar and Dante Sartori finished off the scoring plays, but quality build-up play led to all four strikes. Sam Wessel had a penalty save in addition to allowing just the one goal for the Hounds.

• Battling increasingly windy conditions, the 06 Boys also hit the win column with a 2-0 triumph over Ohio Elite. Henry Gaston scored just before halftime to give the Hounds a deserved lead after a strong first half. The posts denied the Hounds three times over in the second half, but Jackson Suski avoided the metal and hit the net to finally give the RDA a more comfortable lead.

In Great Lakes Alliance matches in Connellsville:

• The 08 East Boys went end-to-end with the Cleveland Force, starting out with a strong first half before falling behind in the second. The Hounds battled to pull even late, and the final was an exciting 4-4 draw.

• Like their elders, the 09 East Boys finished with a draw against Cleveland Force, 2-2. The result was a little disappointing, however, as the Hounds played a strong match and had plenty of chances to nab a winning goal.

• The 07 East Boys had a down match on the wrong day, falling 6-0 to a good Soccer Vision Academy (Ohio) side.

Saturday, Oct. 26

In Boys ECNL games at Montour Junction in Coraopolis:

• The 07 Boys met Ohio Premier in a top-of-the-league matchup that was scoreless at halftime. The visitors caught the Hounds on the break for the opening goal in the second half, and that forced the RDA side to open up. Gambling for a tying goal, Ohio Premier added two late and sent the Hounds to a 3-0 defeat.

• A first-half set piece by Ohio Premier put the 06 Boys behind, and they trailed by two after conceding again in the second half. JJ Simms got the Hounds on the board with 15 minutes to play, but a second RDA goal was not to be, and Ohio Premier stayed atop the conference with a 2-1 win.

Three things: Eastern Conference Semifinals

No. 1 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC hosts No. 4 Louisville City FC this Saturday at Highmark Stadium. The Hounds posted a 1-0-1 record against Louisville during the regular season, most recently playing to a 0-0 draw on Sept. 7 in Pittsburgh.

BACK-TO-BACK

Louisville City FC enters as the two-time defending league champions. The club posted a 17-8-9 record during the regular season, finishing the year with 60 points. Road games were a bit of a challenge for the club, as it had five of its eight losses away from home.

Magnus Rasmussen paced the team’s attack during the regular season with 13 goals. The Danish midfielder also netted the club’s two goals in its 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals last week.

STAY HOT

Riverhounds SC’s seven-goal performance last weekend tied for the most tallies in a single game in club history. Neco Brett led the way for the Hounds with a USL Championship record-tying four goals in a playoff game, combined with tallies from Robbie Mertz and Jordan Dover.

Louisville plays a strong defensive brand of soccer, finishing the regular season conceding just 42 goals. That number marked seventh fewest in the Eastern Conference, and ninth fewest in the entire USL Championship.

The Hounds will need to keep their foot on the gas offensively to find success on Saturday.

12 AND COUNTING

With the win over Birmingham Legion FC last weekend, Riverhounds SC extended its unbeaten streak to 12 games. The last time the club dropped a result came on Aug. 17 against North Carolina FC, a game which the Hounds played a man down for the entirety of the second half.

The win also improved the Black and Gold’s record in all competitions at Highmark Stadium to 13-0-7 in 2019.

Hounds hope historic night is first of many

On a night when so much history was made, it can be easy to overlook just how significant Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s 7-0 win over Birmingham Legion FC was this past Saturday.

The victory marked the first playoff win for the Riverhounds since the 2004 campaign, ending a drought of 15 years between postseason successes for the Black and Gold. It was also the first playoff win for the Riverhounds at Highmark Stadium, which was constructed in 2013.

A record crowd of 5,627 was on hand to watch Pittsburgh tie a club record for most goals scored in a match, an output that also shattered the previous club record for most goals scored in a postseason match.

It was only one game, but Saturday’s victory provided a catharsis for both the club and its supporters, giving everyone in attendance at Highmark Stadium a night of memories they will not soon forget.

“I think we’re enjoying ourselves on the field, and when you’re enjoying your performances it makes a big difference,” midfielder Robbie Mertz said. “Obviously like tonight when you’re getting a lot of goals and a shutout, you’re enjoying it at both sides of the ball. Just keep working hard, keep going about our business, and trying to do our jobs early in the game so that we can enjoy wins like tonight.”

On an evening when the team seemed to exercise postseason demons, the club also enjoyed a number of record-breaking individual performances as well.

Neco Brett wrote his name into the record books with a jaw-dropping performance, netting four goals to pass David Flavius for the most career postseason goals in Hounds history. His fourth tally tied a club record for most goals in a single game by a Hounds player.

On pretty much any other game day, this performance would be the story of the match. But in a game when everything seemed to go right for the Hounds, it seemed almost like a footnote to one of the greatest performances in club history.

“For the entire week, we have been training really well and making sure we were locked in because we know that playoff games are not like regular season games,” Brett said postgame. “There’s more energy, everyone has to focus and make sure we’re locked in. That’s exactly what we did, and we showed our A game today.”

Make no mistake, nobody in the club is satisfied yet. In less than a week, the Hounds will be tested again, hosting a Louisville City FC squad that played them to a 0-0 draw the last time it visited Highmark Stadium.

But for one night, everything went right for the Riverhounds. And it feels like just the beginning.

“Right now, I think it’s just kind of elation that we were able to come out and put together a performance like that,” Mertz said. “I think everyone can agree, it’s probably our best of the season, and to be doing it at this time of year is what you want and what Bob Lilley has asked of us. It’s really special, but we have to regroup tomorrow. Enjoy the victory, but move on to the next one.”

Playoff tickets now on sale: Eastern Conference Semifinals

PITTSBURGH (October 27, 2019) – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC playoff tickets are now on sale for the Eastern Conference Semifinals, as the club meets two-time defending champion Louisville City FC at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2 at Highmark Stadium.

Fans can purchase tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Riverhounds SC advances to the Eastern Conference Semifinals after defeating Birmingham Legion FC, 7-0, in front of a record sellout crowd at Highmark Stadium. Seven goals scored tied a club single-game all-time record.

This season, the Hounds are unbeaten at home, logging a 13-0-7 record at the venue across all competitions. Furthermore, Pittsburgh is now unbeaten in its last 12 matches.

For more information on tickets and Riverhounds SC’s postseason run, visit https://www.riverhounds.com/playoffs.

Hounds roll past Birmingham in record-setting performance, 7-0

PITTSBURGH (October 26, 2019) – No. 1 seed Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals after taking down 10th-seeded Birmingham Legion FC, 7-0, in its first-ever playoff win at Highmark Stadium on Saturday. A record crowd of 5,627 attended the match.

Neco Brett scored four goals while Jordan Dover and Robbie Mertz each added one of their own en route to the win, setting a new club record for most goals scored in a playoff game in the process. Kyle Morton recorded two saves to earn the clean sheet in goal.

The Hounds tied a club single-game record with seven goals scored.

First Half

The Hounds produced the first quality scoring chance of the game in the 6th minute, earning a corner that was deftly headed away by the Birmingham defense before a dangerous looking effort into the penalty box just narrowly missed connecting with a streaking Steevan Dos Santos a few moments later.

Pittsburgh ramped up the pressure, and minutes later finally broke through to open up the scoring.

After a hard strike from the edge of the penalty box, courtesy of Mertz, struck the post, the bouncing ball was gathered by Mouhamed Dabo before he cooly slotted a pass over to a waiting Brett on the left wing, who buried the effort to put Pittsburgh up 1-0.

Just minutes later, a fortunate bounce off of Birmingham defender Kyle Fisher led to an own goal that doubled the Hounds’ lead to 2-0 in the 17th minute.

The dominance from the Black and Gold remained as the Hounds continued to pour it on, enjoying nearly 70 percent possession for the remainder of the first half.

Dos Santos provided more highlight-reel material in the 27th minute, taking a pass from the right wing and threading a perfect ball into the box to Brett for a slick back-heel redirect into a yawning cage to push the lead to 3-0.

Brett would complete the first-half hat trick in the 34th minute off of a penalty kick to give the Black and Gold a commanding 4-0 lead. The third tally also tied Brett with David Flavius for the most postseason goals in Hounds history.

Dover added a fifth for good measure in first-half stoppage time to give Pittsburgh a commanding 5-0 lead heading into the locker rooms at halftime.

Second Half

The second half picked up right where the first left off, as Pittsburgh steadily controlled the game with excellent spacing and a relentless pace that steadily wore out the Birmingham defense.

Mertz pushed it to 6-0 in the 62nd minute on another PK after Zachary Herivaux was booked for a red card in the box. The Pittsburgh native took advantage of his first-ever PK attempt for his hometown squad, slotting home a well-placed strike into the lower-left corner.

Brett continued his incredible night in 71st minute, netting his fourth tally of the game after collecting a loose ball near the top of the penalty box and pushing home a low strike past goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel.

The Black and Gold held firm for the final 20 minutes before the final whistle sounded on the first-ever playoff win at Highmark Stadium.

Hound of the Match

Neco Brett scored four times and passed David Flavius for the most career postseason goals in Hounds history. His fourth tally tied a club record for most goals in a single game.

Beyond the Stats, presented by Beyond Self Storage

The Hounds finished the night with an 86 percent conversion rate.

What’s Next:

Pittsburgh will play host to No. 4 Louisville City FC at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2 at Highmark Stadium in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Fans can purchase tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Lineups:

Riverhounds SC – Kyle Morton; Ryan James (Uchenna Uzo 76’), Tobi Adewole (Dani Rovira 83’), Joe Greenspan, Jordan Dover, Thomas Vancaeyezeele; Kenardo Forbes, Robbie Mertz, Mouhamed Dabo; Steevan Dos Santos (Kevin Kerr 65’), Neco Brett

Subs not used: Austin Pack, Noah Franke, Mark Forrest, Anthony Velarde

Birmingham Legion FC – Matt Van Oekel; Mikey Lopez, Anderson Asiedue, Femi Hollinger-Janzen (Eric Avila 55’), Kyle Fisher, Zach Herivaux, Kyle Culbertson; JJ Williams, Prosper Kasim (Daigo Kobayashi 58’) , Daniel Johnson (Benjamin Kucera 64′); Brian Wright

Subs not used: Trevor Spangenberg, Gael Mabiala, Marcos Ugarte, Akeem Ward

Scoring Summary:

PIT – Neco Brett 13’ (Mouhamed Dabo)

PIT – Kyle Fisher 17′ (own goal)

PIT – Neco Brett 27’ (Steevan Dos Santos)

PIT – Neco Brett 34’ (penalty)

PIT – Jordan Dover 45’+1 (Ryan James)

PIT – Robbie Mertz 62’ (penalty)

PIT – Neco Brett 71’ (Kenardo Forbes)

Misconduct Summary:

BHM – Kyle Culbertson 31’ (caution)

BHM – Mikey Lopez 41’ (caution)

BHM – Zachary Herivaux 61’ (ejection)

PIT – Tobi Adewole 77’ (caution)

Head coach Bob Lilley

On the game…

“We knew how athletic they are, we talked about how dangerous they are, but we just wanted to keep the ball moving. Stay aggressive, get at them, get after them and make sure we’re not reacting to the game. Making sure we’re taking charge and dictating. It’s one game but it was a really good performance.”

“We did a really good job of keeping the hammer down. At 2-0 or 3-0 that game is not done. We played a really, really strong first half where we’re up 5-0 at half time, and then we kind of know ‘Ok, as long as we don’t do anything stupid and we show up the first 15 minutes of the second, we should be able to run this thing out.'”

On Neco Brett…

“He had a great night finishing. I would never discredit any of our players, because we have a lot of good players, but I think it’s the collective. It’s the tireless runs from Ryan James and Dover, it’s Steevan Dos Santos competing on every ball. Midfield doing their jobs and keeping us in possession. I was real happy with Neco’s application tonight, and the ball fell his way tonight, but it could be someone else next week, and hopefully that is what is going to help us do really well in the playoffs. We have a lot of ways we can hurt you and we’re also tough to break down.”

Forward Neco Brett

On if he expected a performance like this…

“When I got in the locker room, I realized that everyone was locked in. Whenever I get in the locker room and the guys are like that, normally we bring our A game. I was looking forward to a game like this. Not this many goals, but a good game.”

On channeling the intensity of a playoff game…

“For the entire week, we have been training really well and making sure we were locked in because we know that playoff games are not like regular season games. There’s more energy, everyone has to focus and make sure we’re locked in. That’s exactly what we did, and we showed our A game today.”

On if the team’s familiarity with Birmingham played a role in the success…

“It was just our game plan. We knew their backline wasn’t that steady. All we had to do was put on some pressure and that’s exactly what we did.”

Midfielder Robbie Mertz

On his emotions after the win

“Right now I think it’s just kind of elation that we were able to come out and put together a performance like that. I think everyone can agree, it’s probably our best of the season, and to be doing it at this time of year is what you want and what Bob has asked of us. It’s really special, but we have to re-group tomorrow, enjoy the victory but move on to the next one.”

On the work of Steevan and Neco…

“The biggest thing for them is that they work so hard on both sides of the ball, and it creates a lot for us going forward. The work they do defensively enables us to get forward, but the biggest thing with them, coach demands a lot of movement, a lot of good runs, and I think you saw that with Neco when he got in a few times tonight.”

On the feeling around the team currently riding a 12-game unbeaten streak…

“I think we’re enjoying ourselves on the field, and when you’re enjoying your performances it makes a big difference. Obviously like tonight when you’re getting a lot of goals and a shutout, you’re enjoying it at both sides of the ball. Just keep working hard, keep going about our business, and trying to do our jobs early in the game so that we can enjoy wins like tonight.”

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