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Year in Review: Looking back at the Hounds' best of 2021

Having already looked back on the entirety of the 2021 season, it’s time to pick out the moments, players and plays that made it a memorable year for the Hounds.

Just as we did at midseason, our postseason “awards” will highlight the peak performances that helped the club to its second-highest win total in team history. While a few of these winners held their spot from the first 16 games, the second half of the season was chock full of big plays and thrilling games in a loaded Atlantic Division.

The Hounds did clinch their fourth consecutive playoff berth in 2021, and the night of that clinching gives us a fitting place to start as we look back:

Best Save — Danny Vitiello, Oct. 10 vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies

A big part of Vitiello’s Golden Glove-winning 2020 season was a pair of penalty kick saves that established him as a proficient stopper of spot kicks.

In 2021, however, Vitiello only faced four penalty kicks in his 27 starts. He was beaten by the first three, but the save he got couldn’t have come at a better time.

With the Hounds holding a 1-0 lead in a match where a win over the division-leading Rowdies would secure a postseason spot, Vitiello was put to the test by Tampa Bay’s Leo Fernandes. The Hounds keeper stood his ground before diving low and to his left, stopping the left-footed shot and watching as a pressured rebound attempt sailed high.

The save reignited a tense Highmark Stadium crowd, and the Hounds would go on to claim a 2-0 win and book their playoff spot.

Best Assist — Alex Dixon, May 28 at New York Red Bulls II

It happened in just the fourth game of the year, but it was a sign of what was to come from Dixon, who finished as the team’s top playmaker with nine assists.

On an unusually cold spring night in New Jersey, Dixon linked up in the rain with Russell Cicerone by playing a no-look backheel pass to create the final goal of a 3-0 win, the Hounds’ first victory of the season.

While the Hounds had plenty of good ball movement on the way to scoring 52 goals this season, the anticipation and creativity shown by Dixon put this assist at the top of the heap.

Best Goal — Alex Dixon, Sept. 25 vs. Charleston Battery

Dixon also gets the nod for the year’s top goal for a thumping volley that ended the scoring in a 3-3 draw at Highmark Stadium — the only Hounds game of the year to feature six goals.

Making the goal even more special was the assist from Tommy Williamson, an overhead kick that easily could have been the “Best Assist” winner. The setup put the ball right in the path of Dixon, who drilled his shot into the net while absorbing contact from the Battery defense.

As it turned out, the defender took the worst of the collision while Dixon raced back in celebration, and the goal secured both a draw for the Hounds and the No. 3 spot on that night’s top 10 plays on ESPN’s SportsCenter.

Best Defensive Player — Danny Vitiello

This was one of the harder categories to select, as center backs Shane Wiedt and Mekeil Williams both had mostly steady seasons, Dani Rovira was a critical utility man in multiple positions, and Jelani Peters came on strong in the second half after his return from a July international debut with Trinidad & Tobago at the Gold Cup.

But when it came down to crunch time, the one player who never left the field was the man in the No. 1 goalkeeper shirt for the Hounds.

Vitiello started the final eight games for the team and 27 of 32 overall for the Hounds, as he posted his second straight season with a goals-against average of under one — 0.96. His 15 wins in net were the second-most in a season in team history, and three of his nine clean sheets came in the month of October.

Best Offensive Player — Russell Cicerone

We gave the midseason award in this category to Cicerone after a team-leading seven goals at the midway point. All he did from there was raise the production in the second half even more.

Cicerone had the finishing touch all season for the Hounds, scoring a career-best 16 goals, which goes down as the third-best regular season in Hounds history. His biggest match came Aug. 22 against Atlanta United 2, when the fifth-year pro scored his first professional hat trick in a 4-1 win.

In addition to his goal scoring, Cicerone finished second on the team with eight assists — also a career best — and he proved to be quite durable by appearing in every match and starting 28 of the 32. That year-long excellence made Cicerone a deserving winner of the Steel Army Player of the Year award, a selection we won’t dispute, even if we went a different direction….

Team MVP — Danny Griffin

He doesn’t have the scoring numbers of a Dixon or Cicerone, nor does he come with the same flash of a multiple-time All-USL player like Kenardo Forbes, but when the comes to the “value” in MVP, Griffin had a season that made life simpler for so many of the players around him.

The hard-working second-year pro took over the holding midfield role that in previous seasons under Bob Lilley was usually filled by Forbes or the since-departed Thomas Vancaeyezeele, and Griffin made that job his own, playing all but 12 minutes of the season. The 12 he missed? That was simply to protect him having been booked and with the team safely ahead 3-1.

Numbers spell out the workload Griffin took on. With 65 tackles (second on team), 155 duels won (most), 1,611 passes (most, and completed at an 80 percent clip, fourth-best on the team) and 22 clearances, Griffin was everywhere, and he even added two goals and an assist when he got himself forward.

But even outside the numbers, Griffin’s value was in how he was able to provide cover and protection for an entirely new back line in 2021, and how his command of the holding role allowed Forbes to get forward more often and get his creativity involved with the attack.

Because of the sheer amount of ground he covered each match, it’s quite possible that he — not Forbes or Cicerone — would have been the one player who couldn’t have been replaced had he missed any time, and for that reason, he gets our MVP nod.

Game of the Year — Oct. 10 at Highmark Stadium; Riverhounds SC 2, Tampa Bay Rowdies 0

Already mentioned as the game that featured our Save of the Year, the playoff-clinching victory over the eventual Atlantic Division winners was a perfect example of this team’s potential when they were clicking on all cylinders.

The match started out begin played tightly, which was to be expected with two contenders who played to a 0-0 draw in their previous meeting. Former Hounds striker Steevan Dos Santos nearly put the visitors ahead with a header that went off the crossbar but stayed out after being cleared away by Wiedt, but it was the Hounds to took a halftime lead when Williamson poached a goal by being in perfect position to cash in a misplayed ball by the Rowdies’ Jordan Scarlett.

The second half began with Vitiello’s penalty save after he was whistled for taking down Dos Santos in the box, and in the 72nd minute, Dixon got the best of all-USL defender Forrest Lasso to draw a penalty for the Hounds, which Cicerone converted for the 2-0 lead.

Take a look back at the highlights from that match to conclude our run through the Best of 2021.

Riverhounds hosting turkey distribution with Greater Pgh. Community Food Bank

PITTSBURGH (November 19, 2021) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, Highmark and Allegheny Health Network are partnering with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank to host a Thanksgiving turkey distribution event in the West Lot of Highmark Stadium from 4-5:30 p.m. this Monday, Nov. 22.

Riverhounds players, coaches and staff, along with staff from Highmark and AHN, have volunteered to assist with handing out meals to area families during the drive-up distribution event, which is part of the Food Bank’s ongoing mission to ensure everyone in the Pittsburgh area has access to healthy meals, especially during the holiday season.

It is the third straight year the Riverhounds organization, in conjunction with Highmark and AHN, will volunteer with the Food Bank, though this year’s distribution will mark the first time having an on-site event since the beginning of the pandemic last year. The team hopes to continue hosting similar events, both in the city and at the AHN Montour Complex in Coraopolis once construction is completed early next year.

For more information about Monday’s distribution event, please contact Riverhounds SC at media@https://www.riverhounds.com, or contact the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank at 412-460-3663.

The Hounds' 2021 was a memorable season that hit a dreadful end

The end of a season always seems to come suddenly, but this year was something different altogether.

The 2021 Riverhounds SC season was a step back toward normalcy as fans returned to the stands after the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, but the abrupt ending to the season — a cancelled playoff match due to an outbreak of Covid-19 cases on the team — showed that the team’s 22nd season was still an unusual one.

What shouldn’t be overshadowed by the ending was that the Hounds were again among the best in the USL Championship. Their 17-8-7 record, while only good for third in the Atlantic Division, was seventh-best out of 31 teams, and the team secured a playoff berth for a fourth consecutive season, the longest such run in club history. The team’s 17 wins tied for the second-most in a season in club history, trailing only the 2019 team’s 19 victories.

That success, rather than the missed chance to see if that would translate into postseason glory, will be the lasting story of the 2021 season.

Shaking up the roster

Preseason for the 2021 season began slightly later than usual in the final week of March, and there was definitely a getting-to-know-you period for all the new faces.

Coach Bob Lilley brought back just seven players from the previous season — Danny Vitiello, Dani Rovira, Jordan Dover, Albert Dikwa, Kenardo Forbes, Danny Griffin and Anthony Velarde — as he sought to rebuild his back line while also adding speedy, dynamic players to the attack.

Among the highest-profile signings were USL veterans like Mekeil Williams, Russell Cicerone and Todd Wharton, while Lilley also stuck to his pattern of brining in players with who he previously coached in signing Alex Dixon away from division rival Hartford.

The Hounds also added some youth with the arrival of MLS SuperDraft first-round pick Tommy Williamson on loan from the San Jose Earthquakes, while a first for the team occurred with the signing of 17-year-old Wyatt Borso to a USL Academy contract. Borso would go on to become the youngest player ever to appear in a match for the Hounds when he debuted Aug. 11 against Miami.

April’s preseason saw the team go 3-2-1, which included a 2-1 win over MLS side FC Cincinnati, which had hopes high entering the regular season and a May 8 opening match at the defending conference champion Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Early struggles

Not much went right in the team’s opening match, a 3-0 loss to the Rowdies that would be their only multi-goal defeat of the season.

After a 1-1 draw at Hartford, the home opener brought a feeling of excitement with fans being allowed back in Highmark Stadium — albeit with limited capacity because of existing public health rules — but the Hounds were held off in a 1-0 loss to the Charlotte Independence despite Charlotte being reduced to 10 men.

The Hounds got in the win column with road victories at New York and Loudoun, as Cicerone and Dixon began to flash the scoring touch that made them appealing offseason acquisitions, but two more disappointing home results left the team at 2-3-2 through seven games.

Never one to overreact to early results — the 2019 Hounds finished atop the Eastern Conference after starting 2-2-7, after all — Lilley continued to push his team into their most congested schedule stretch of the season.

Hot summer

The Hounds’ lone national TV game of the season was a battle, as they were able to hold on for a 1-0 win over Indy Eleven on June 15. That game saw Williamson score his first career goal and the Hounds hang on after a red card to Jelani Peters, and it set the stage for a rematch in Tampa just four days later.

While the Indy win was good, the 2-1 triumph in Tampa that came next was a turning point for the Hounds, as they knocked off the front-running Rowdies with goals by ironman midfielder Danny Griffin — the only player to start every match for the team in 2021 — and Cicerone.

From that Indy game onward, the Hounds ran off a 10-game stretch going 8-1-1 that ran into August and put the Hounds and Rowdies in a battle for first place in the division. Though back-to-back losses to Miami and Charlotte put Tampa Bay back in front for good, the Hounds got right back to producing results to end summer.

Cicerone had a career year for the Hounds with 16 goals, more than doubling his career total from earlier stops in Cincinnati and St. Louis. His haul included his first career hat trick in a 4-1 win over Atlanta United 2 on Aug. 22, and it would end as the third-best regular-season goal total by a player in Hounds history. That effort earned him the Player of the Year award from the Steel Army supporters’ group, which he received after the season finale against Hartford.

Dixon, meanwhile, was a constant playmaking threat and finished with nine goals and a team-leading nine assists on the season. Like Cicerone, Dixon’s biggest month was August, and both players were among the five finalists for the USL Championship Player of the Month, with Cicerone finishing second in voting.

Big battles and replay madness

The final two months of the season saw the Hounds play some exciting games, including a 3-3 draw with the Charleston Battery on Sept. 25 that had the most goals of any game this season.

The team clinched its playoff berth in memorable fashion, as well, scoring a second win over the Rowdies, 2-0, on Oct. 10 in Pittsburgh. That game featured a crucial penalty kick save by Vitiello, who backed up his Golden Glove-winning 2020 season with another strong year that included nine shutouts.

The Hounds also encountered controversy of the highest order, as an incorrectly disallowed own goal the following week in Miami apparently cost the Hounds two points when the match finished in a 0-0 draw. However, given the seriousness of the error, the USL ordered the goal awarded and the match replayed from that point forward on Oct. 27. That decision received the consent of both the Professional Referees Organization and the International Football Advisory Board, the sport’s global rule-making body, and made “misapplication of the Laws of the Game” an all-too-common buzz phrase for a week around the league.

That controversy obscured the fact the Hounds’ defense was playing its best soccer of the season in the final month, allowing just one goal over the final four matches. The team needed a win in its final match, a home encounter with Hartford, to have a shot to overtake Charlotte and claim a home playoff game, but the offense scuffled in the final 90 minutes and the game ended 0-0.

Sudden end and outlook

As a result of the season-ending draw, the Hounds were slated to face Birmingham Legion FC in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Nov. 7. The game was expected to be the top draw of the first round, as it was the only matchup between teams with at least 17 wins and was tied for the highest combined point total between first-round opponents.

The week began with normal preparations for the match, but as the week progressed, a few players missing practice with illness was found out to be Covid-19 cases within the squad. Because the number of positive tests among the team made it unsafe to travel and difficult for the Hounds to even field a full team, the USL cancelled the match on Nov. 5, ending the Hounds’ season.

The disappointing end to the season still fresh, the Hounds’ staff nonetheless is already turning its eyes toward 2022.

The team still has a few weeks to decide which players they will retain via club option, and we should know in early December what the returning core of the team will look like. The league will also start to take shape for 2022 after the USL Winter Meetings, Dec. 15-17, as Hounds’ preseason foe Detroit City FC joining the Championship will be just one of many changes in reshuffling and realignment.

The 2021 season was definitely a unique one, but the positive strides made during the season indicate the team is still trending in the right direction. The 2022 season hopefully will be a full return to normal action, including the return of the U.S. Open Cup, and the Hounds seem ready to contend for a fifth straight playoff berth and a much longer postseason stay.

RDA Weekend Recap – Nov. 12-14

As high school season winds down, the older age groups of the Riverhounds Development Academy are starting to swing into action for 2021-22.

The first event for many of the RDA’s older sides is the Bethesda Premier Cup, which kicked off last Friday to start the girls weekend of the two-week event in Bethesda, Md., while some of the Hounds’ younger sides and RDA East teams also descended on the D.C. area for the Nation’s Capital Cup in McLean, Va.

In Bethesda, the 2003/04 Girls showed the potential to put together a strong season by sweeping all three of their matches. Fresh off her time at U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team camp, Tessa Dellarose was in form with three goals in three matches — wins over DMV FC, 3-0; hosts Bethesda SC, 2-0; and Loudoun SC, 1-0. Sydney Lindeman and Lily Gaston anchored the back line for the weekend, as goalkeepers Emma Van Meter and Taylor Lloyd allowed no goals over 270 minutes.

In some of the other showcase age groups, the Hounds were a little shorthanded with players still participating with their high school teams in the PIAA tournament, but both the 05 and 06 Girls managed to come away with 1-1-1 weekends.

Among the younger ages, where the tournament had knockout matches and finals, the 07 Girls reached the title game in the top division with a 2-0-1 group stage record before falling 3-1 to fellow ECNL side Loudoun SC. Sierra Dupre scored to tie the game after Rease Solomon saved a penalty kick for the Hounds, but the Virginia side won it with a pair of late goals.

Our Regional League sides also produced some good results, led by the 08 RL Girls, who also reached the final before falling 1-0 to the home team from Bethesda. The team got plenty of good experience from the weekend, as all four of their games was settled by one goal.

Just a short ride to the south across the Potomac, the 08 East Girls captured the championship at the Nation’s Capital Cup by avenging an earlier defeat to fellow Pa. side Century West, 2-0. Jiana Patterson and Siena Ali scored in the final and the earlier Sunday game — a 2-0 win over hosts McLean — as the team finished 3-1-0 and shook off their 3-1 loss to Century West in Saturday’s play.

The 09 East Girls advanced to the semifinals of their division before falling 2-0 to Arlington SC, while the 10 East Girls and the City’s 11 Girls both finished second with 2-1-0 records in their group, but neither advanced to the final with only the first place team moving on.

A more comprehensive run-down of the weekend’s games can always be found on the RDA Results page, which will also be the place to find results from this coming weekend, when both the events in Bethesda and McLean turn to boys action starting Friday.

Hounds playoff match cancelled due to positive COVID-19 cases

PITTSBURGH (November 6, 2021) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC is deeply disappointed at the cancellation of our Eastern Conference Quarterfinal match Sunday at Birmingham Legion FC, which was announced by the USL Championship this morning.

The cancellation is the result of a cluster of positive COVID-19 cases within our team. Because of the positive tests, it was determined that there was no way for the team to safely travel to Birmingham, Ala., and field a full, competitive team for Sunday’s playoff match.

The most important thing for our club is the safety of our players. Those who have tested positive are currently in quarantine, and we hope for a rapid and full recovery for all of our players experiencing symptoms.

“I’m gutted right now for Bob Lilley, his staff and our players to have the season end like this after all their hard work,” Riverhounds owner Tuffy Shallenberger said. “I’m also disappointed for our fans, who have been behind us all season. I hate to see our season end this way, but we’re going to come back even stronger next season.”

Our club also wishes to express their disappointment for Birmingham Legion FC. While they will advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals and continue their season, we know their team and fans were looking forward to hosting this weekend’s playoff game. The Hounds wish the Legion the best of luck for the rest of their playoff run.

The Hounds will begin preparations for the 2022 season soon, and we look forward to returning to the field next year in pursuit of a USL Championship title.

UPDATE (6:45 p.m.): With respect to the privacy of our players and staff, the team would like to provide more details, as much as is possible.

First and foremost, every effort was made by the Hounds to field a team for tomorrow’s match. But once the number of positive tests during the past week ruled out enough players to make it clear that would not be possible — and with pushing the entire USL Championship Playoffs back 10 days or more not being a reasonable or fair option — the cancellation was announced for the safety of both teams.

The Hounds’ “Covered Persons” — players and traveling staff — under the USL’s COVID-19 policy are fully vaccinated at a 93 percent rate, and a number of our players have received a “booster” (third dose) shot, as well. The club has also been diligent to keep its facilities disinfected and to comply with the league’s health policies throughout the season. Unfortunately, infections can occur even while taking the proper precautions, which happened in this instance.

For privacy reasons, no information will be disclosed regarding individuals’ tests. Further inquiries or requests for interviews should be directed to the club’s Communications staff.

3 Things: #BHMvPIT

Playoff time is here again, and the Hounds find themselves in what looks — on paper — to be the best matchup in the opening round the USL Championship Playoffs, presented by TwinSpires.

With the divisional structure pitting the Hounds (17-8-7, 58 points) against Birmingham Legion FC (18-8-6, 60 points), this first round matchup is the only one pitting two teams with 17 or more wins against one another. And the combined 118 points between the teams is tied for the most of any first-round game with the Tampa Bay/Tulsa matchup. (And let’s be honest, the Rowdies did most of the heavy lifting to account for that game’s 118!)

Perhaps surprisingly, given that information, the presenting partners at TwinSpires still didn’t set this as the closest first-round match in their eyes — that honor went out West to the Colorado Springs at Orange County encounter — but there’s still not going to be anyone calling this game an upset, whether it’s the Legion or Hounds who advance.

That brings us to the 3 Things for this week, which could be major factors in a game that looks so evenly balanced.

1.) Fear the beards

This section could have been titled “No Shave November,” but both the Hounds’ Danny Vitiello and the Legion’s Matt Van Oekel have had the razors on long-term leave for quite a while. But the two hirsute goalkeepers have more in common than facial hair, they happen to be two of the USL’s most effective players at their position.

Vitiello and Van Oekel both finished the season tied for third in the league with nine shutouts each, and their goals-against average is almost identical, both rounding off to 0.96. Van Oekel does boast the more impressive save percentage, .760 contrasted with Vitiello’s .720, but Vitiello has the slight edge over the past four games with just one goal allowed against two given up by Van Oekel.

In a playoff setting, one or two big saves could be the difference in a match, and both goalkeepers have shown they can do that. Just of late, Vitiello made a penalty kick stop against Tampa Bay, and his diving save on Hartford’s Luka Prpa kept the Hounds in the running for second place until the final whistle. To his credit, Van Oekel was the league’s Week 4 Player of the Week — one of only four goalies to win that honor in 2021 — and made the league’s Save of the Month in June.

Of course, the two defenses in front of them will play just as important a role in how the match will play out, but if you’re looking for the player who might be the biggest difference-maker, start with the two bearded fellows.

2.) Go with Neco

Hounds fans have plenty of fond memories of Neco Brett, whose two-year run with the team in 2018-19 yielded 34 goals, a club record for any two-season span. Now Brett is plying his trade for the Legion, and with 18 goals this season, his scoring pace has not slowed down one bit.

Slowing Brett down will be a challenge, one that requires awareness on the part of the Hounds’ defense. Where the Jamaican and Robert Morris alum excels is his ability to get in dangerous positions to receive the ball, and once he has it, to finish quickly and efficiently.

To counter that, the Hounds defense must stay tight to Brett and not allow him space. Brett isn’t a player who will beat people off the dribble or with tremendous speed down the flank, as would an Alex Dixon or Miami’s former Hound Christiano François. Brett’s game is two or three touches mixing it up in the box or making one decisive move and firing on net, something he can’t be allowed the time to do.

The good news is, there’s no one who will have a better scouting report on his former player than Bob Lilley — and that can be said about other Legion players Ryan James and Thomas Vancaeyezeele, as well. But drawing something up on the board and executing it on the field are two different things, and the Hounds will be put to the test by Brett.

3.) Shake off the misses

The Hounds’ last game against Hartford was marred by a number of misses that should have put the result — and possibly home field — in the Hounds’ hands.

Bad enough was that the Hounds took 11 shots in the match and only one, by center back Mekeil Williams, hit the target in the scoreless draw. But looking at the advanced metrics that chart game flow and the infamous xG stat (the number of goals a team “should” score based on the chances created) illustrates it further.

The Hounds had three chances with a goal probability of 20 percent or greater — Russell Cicerone’s open look in the 39th minute, the corner kick headed back across the face of goal by Williams in the 68th minute and Anthony Velarde’s wide shot in the 88th minute — and a fourth that scored just below 20 percent, the free kick won just on the edge of the box by Dani Rovira in the 43rd minute.

Add in Cicerone’s first great chance when Tommy Williamson flicked the ball between the legs of the defender, and that’s five excellent chances. The Hounds hit the frame on none of them.

Creating those sorts of chances is why the Hounds’ xG in the match was 1.79, an average which says that the Hounds should get at least two goals from that game more often than not.

Off days happen, and it’s important that Cicerone, Velarde, or whoever else gets on the end of attacking moves Sunday doesn’t think about those past misses. Instead, hit it with confidence and on frame, and the results can only get better.

RDA standout Dellarose shares experiences from U.S. U-20 camp

Tessa Dellarose got to spend a week of her fall in California, but the reason for her trip wasn’t seeing the Golden State. It was wearing the Red, White and Blue.

Dellarose, a member of the Riverhounds Development Academy’s 2003/04 Girls team, took part in the U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team Training Camp in Chula Vista, Calif. from Oct. 17-24, an opportunity to impress in front of national team coaches and vie for a spot at major tournaments in the coming years.

It wasn’t the first time getting a U.S. call-up for Dellarose, who comes from Brownsville, Pa. and is a University of North Carolina recruit. She previously represented the U.S. at the Under-16 level, but after so much of the national team program had been shut down as a result of the pandemic, Dellarose was excited to be chosen to take part in one of the first big, in-person events while moving into a higher age group.

“My last camp was in February 2020 with the U-16s, and then everything shut down. Being back with them again in person brought back some normalcy, but they still had all the (Covid) protocols in place,” Dellarose said.

“There were a lot of familiar faces going back into this camp, and especially because the college girls were away, there were more girls my age (2004 birth year) and some 2003s. It was nice seeing some of the same girls now that we’re older. I’ve gotten close with some, some have been my roommates; it’s almost like a clique thing.”

The target for Dellarose is making the U.S. U-20 team that will be assembled for next year to compete first at the CONCACAF U-20 Women’s Championship, which is the qualifying tournament for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup being held next year in Costa Rica.

That is a lofty goal for Dellarose, who will still be 17 when 2022 begins, but it’s one she thinks is attainable while still keeping things in perspective.

“My goal is definitely to make the qualifiers and the World Cup, but in the chance it doesn’t happen, I want to continue to get better and grow as a player and a person,” she said. “If I don’t make it this cycle, there’s still the 2024 (U-20) World Cup when I’ll be 19.”

Going into such a high-intensity environment could be overwhelming, but Dellarose seems to take it all in stride.

Her ability on the field certainly stacks up with the girls — and at the U-20 level, young women — she is competing against, and she is used to the high level of competition playing in the ECNL and at large showcases with the RDA. That she is being recognized for her play comes as no surprise to her coaches back in Pittsburgh.

“Tessa’s a fearless player. All she wants is to get to the top,” RDA Director Scott Gibson said. “She’s worked extremely hard to get to this point, so for her to go into that camp was an opportunity for her to excel. She’s got the personality to excel, and she’s got that mindset that, whenever she plays the game, she wants to be the best.”

But while this wasn’t the first camp for Dellarose, she did notice that things are a little different at the U-20 level than in the girls age groups.

“This is different than the last camps I’ve been to. Everyone is so excited to be here, but everyone knows what’s on the line with the World Cup next year. There’s a lot of intensity, but not a lot of pressure, because it’s so much fun that gets overshadowed,” Dellarose said.

Now back in Pittsburgh, Dellarose will have to wait to see if she will be brought back in for the next camp after the conclusion of the college season.

Until then, she will have a chance to link back up with her RDA teammates and friends, as they prepare for a full competitive season in the ECNL. Asked what she can impart to her teammates from her U.S. experience, Dellarose said she’s always happy to share.

“I’ll tell them whatever they like to know. They like to ask questions about it,” Dellarose said. “I never like to feel like I’m bragging about it, but if they ask me, I love to share and talk about how the daily routine works, what training is like. I think that’s really informative for them.”

Hounds playoff match in Birmingham to kick off at 5 p.m. Sunday

PITTSBURGH (October 31, 2021) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, the third seed out of the Atlantic Division, will travel to face Central Division No. 2 Birmingham Legion FC in an Eastern Conference Quarterfinal that will be played Sunday at 5 p.m., the league announced today.

The match at BBVA Field in Birmingham, Ala., will be the last of eight to be played in the opening round of the USL Championship Playoffs, presented by TwinSpires. The winner will advance to face the winner between the Tampa Bay Rowdies and FC Tulsa in the conference semifinals the following weekend.

The Hounds (17-8-7) are one of three teams — along with Louisville City FC and Phoenix Rising FC — who have reached the USL playoffs in each of the past four seasons. This will be the second consecutive season the Hounds have started the playoffs on the road, after losing 2-0 in the conference quarterfinals to Louisville a year ago.

Birmingham (18-6-8) is in the playoffs for the third consecutive year. They were eliminated by the Hounds in the 2019 conference quarterfinals by a 7-0 score at Highmark Stadium, and they fell in the same round last year to the Tampa Bay Rowdies, 4-2.

The match will be shown locally on 22 The Point, and it will be available to be streamed on ESPN+.

Missed chances cost Hounds in 0-0 draw with Hartford

PITTSBURGH (October 30, 2021) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC couldn’t find a breakthrough goal and had to settle for a 0-0 draw with Hartford Athletic in their regular-season finale on a rainy Saturday night at Highmark Stadium.

The draw means the Hounds (17-8-7) finish third in the Atlantic Division and will go on the road to face Central Division runner-up Birmingham Legion FC (18-8-6) in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Sunday, Nov. 7.

Danny Vitiello made three saves to record his third shutout in the past four games and ninth on the season, which will rank him among the top five in the USL Championship this season once all games are completed. The game was a chippy contest, with a total of 39 fouls called and 12 yellow cards issued.

First half

The Hounds will lament plenty of missed opportunities in this one, recording 11 shots but only one on goal.

That trend that started in the ninth minute when Tommy Williamson’s layoff pass split the legs of a defender and sent Russell Cicerone toward goal, but his open shot from the top of the box skipped wide.

Mekeil Williams had a good headed chance from a corner in the 18th minute that went just wide, and he later recorded the team’s only shot on goal with a header.

Cicerone again had acres of space after Williamson forced a turnover, be he had a look of disbelief after missing the frame a second time just six minutes before halftime.

Vitiello ended the half with his biggest save of the night, denying a 25-yard blast by Luka Prpa with a diving stop to his right.

Second half

The Hounds struggled to make as many good chances after the break, and Hartford created its own decent chances in the game.

The visitors’ closest moment was a header in the 79th minute by Walmer Martinez, who rose to meet a long free kick and didn’t miss Vitiello’s goal by much.

The Hounds again should have had their goal in the 88th minute, when Kenardo Forbes wisely let a pass from Jordan Dover run past him to an open Anthony Velarde, but Velarde pushed his shot wide to the left of an open net from 15 yards away.

Hounds Man of the Match

Mekeil Williams had a strong day in the center of the Hounds’ back line with two tackles, two clearances and wins on all four of his aerial duels, all while he completed 26 of 32 passes (81.3 percent), trailing only Kenardo Forbes. Williams also showed a willingness to get forward, recording three shots — tied for the team high — and the team’s only shot on goal.

What’s next?

The Hounds will be in the USL Championship Playoffs, presented by TwinSpires, which begin with the first matches Friday, Nov. 5. The matchup against Birmingham Legion is a rematch of the 2019 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, which the Hounds won by a record-setting 7-0 score at Highmark Stadium. Three players who played in that game for the Hounds — Neco Brett, Thomas Vancaeyezeele and Ryan James — now play for the Legion. That game is also the last time the Hounds and Legion have met.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC lineup (4-2-3-1) — Danny Vitiello; Dani Rovira (Anthony Velarde 63’), Mekeil Williams, Jelani Peters, Shane Wiedt (Ezra Armstrong 83’); Danny Griffin, Todd Wharton (Louis Pérez 63’); Russell Cicerone, Kenardo Forbes, Alex Dixon; Tommy Williamson (Jordan Dover 63’)

Hartford Athletic (4-2-4) — Jeff Caldwell; Conor McGlynn, Younes Boudadi, Nicolás Cardona, Arthur Rogers (Ashkanov Apollon 70’); Justin Haak, Luka Prpa; Walmer Martinez, Danny Barrera, Danny Dodson (Preston Tabort Etaka 55’), Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. (Jeciel Cedeno 89’)

Scoring summary

None

Discipline summary

HFD — Danny Barrera 16’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
HFD — Nicolás Cardona 28’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
HFD — Younes Boudadi 43’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
PIT — Dani Rovira 54’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
HFD — Juan Carlos Obregon Jr. 57’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
HFD — head coach Harry Watling 67’ (caution – dissent)
PIT — Danny Griffin 75’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
HFD — Jeff Caldwell 90’ (caution – delaying the restart)
HFD — Walmer Martinez 90+1’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
PIT — Jelani Peters 90+1’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
PIT — head coach Bob Lilley 90+2’ (caution – dissent)
HFD — assistant coach Luiz Silva 90+2’ (caution – dissent)

3 Things: #PITvHFD

There’s no rest for the Hounds, as plenty is on the line in their regular-season finale Saturday night at home against Hartford Athletic.

The chance to host a home game in the first-round of the playoffs — something that eluded the Hounds a year ago with a late-season loss to Hartford — is the biggest prize on the line, but even home-field for later rounds, which is determined by total points and not placing within the division, could be affected if the Hounds can add three points to their column.

And even though the Hounds have gone 2-0-1 this season against Hartford, all three games have been tied at the 83rd minute or later, meaning both teams expect another tightly contested affair.

So with a big finish expected, here are the 3 Things to watch tonight:

1.) Containing Barrera

Hartford brings the USL Championship assists leader, Danny Barrera, to the field, and he has a goal and an assist to his credit in the three previous matches against the Hounds.

So much of what Hartford does in the attack goes through him, and the Hounds have a few options on how to mark him.

The first option would be to clog the holding midfield area with a second player, likely Todd Wharton, joining Danny Griffin to reduce the amount of play going through the middle. Alternatively, as Barrera can be just as dangerous from the wing as he can in the center, assigning a high-energy player like Dani Rovira to mark him — as they did with Miami’s Ariel Martínez — could be another option.

Whatever the Hounds choose, cutting the supply line will be essential to stopping Hartford’s attack.

2.) Weary and/or inexperienced legs

Hartford’s injury report lists two mainstays among their defensive group, Thomas Janjigian (hamstring) and Tulu (hip), as questionable for the match.

With both nursing injuries that presumably would impair mobility, that should be a green light for the likes of Tommy Williamson, Russell Cicerone, Alex Dixon and anyone else in an attacking position to increase their movement and attack with pace.

Of course, Hartford could opt to go with less experienced players and give fresh legs a run in what will be their team’s final game. If that’s the case, the Hounds still should seek an advantage by making smart runs and doing what they can to create indecision amongst the Hartford back line.

Depending who Hartford sends out, the Hounds should tailor their attack accordingly.

3.) Shrinking bench?

As is common for most teams come playoff time, the Hounds have settled into a firmer lineup than at any point of the season, with the only remaining rotation occurring as the team switches between a five- and four-man back line.

Likewise, the players off the bench — Anthony Velarde, Louis Pérez and whoever among the defensive group is dropped from the 11 — have been mostly the same faces throughout October.

Because there is still much on the line, it’s hard to think Bob Lilley’s lineup card will be at all different from the past four or five matches. But there is the chance he uses this final regular-season match to send out a player or two who has seen limited time recently, as there’s no way to predict injuries or other issues over the course of what the Hounds hope is a month-long postseason run.

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