News

Hounds back to winning ways by blanking New York

(July 1, 2022) — Russell Cicerone scored twice after Alex Dixon got the goals started, and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC ended a winless run in emphatic fashion with a 3-0 win at New York Red Bulls II tonight at MSU Soccer Park in Montclair, N.J.

The victory ends a six-game winless drought for the Hounds (8-6-3), who are back in fourth place in a tight Eastern Conference race with tonight’s win. It is the Hounds’ seventh consecutive win over New York (1-13-3), their longest active streak against any opponent.

Cicerone’s goals move him into the team lead with seven on the season, and he also ascends to ninth in club history with 23 goals in just two seasons for the Hounds. Jahmali Waite needed just one save to record the shutout, and Hounds midfielder Angelo Kelly played his 100th regular-season match in the USL Championship.

First half

New York came out taking the initiative, and Jeremy Rafanello forced Waite into his only save — blocking away a short-hopping shot — less than a minute into the game.

But despite the hosts holding 56.5 percent of possession, the Hounds were the more dangerous team with a 15-7 shots edge and a quick opening goal in the 12th minute.

Dixon netted the opener when Kenardo Forbes located him on the left side with a long cross-field pass. With acres of space, Dixon cut into the box and finished with his right foot for his fourth goal of the year. The strike also gave Forbes his 50th career USL Championship assist, increasing his league-record total.

Cicerone made it 2-0 in the 19th minute when Forbes again found his man behind the defense. New York goalkeeper AJ Marcucci got a touch on the ball, but Cicerone was able to turn the corner and finish from a sharp angle.

Second half

As they did for the remainder of the first half, the Hounds continued to press forward for a third goal to put the game away.

The goal came in the 67th minute, when Dani Rovira weighted a pass perfectly to Cicerone, who received the ball in stride behind the defense and fired high into the roof of the net to make it 3-0.

The Hounds continued to press for more goals, with Dixon coming closest on a second-chance header cleared off the line, but Red Bulls II goalkeeper Derrek Chan — a halftime injury replacement for Marcucci — did well to make four saves after the break.

Hounds Man of the Match

Russell Cicerone is the easy choice after recording the first goal-scoring double for the Hounds since Dane Kelly put a pair past Loudoun on April 23. Cicerone, the team’s leading scorer a season ago, is heating up with five goals and two assists in his past eight games.

What’s next?

The Hounds will come home for back-to-back games at Highmark Stadium, beginning with a 7 p.m. match Wednesday, July 6, against the lone Eastern Conference team they have yet to face in 2022, Indy Eleven (6-6-3). Indy, which currently sits in the final playoff spot in the East, hosts Miami FC tomorrow night.

Riverhounds SC lineup (5-2-1-2) — Jahmali Waite; Alex Dixon, Jelani Peters (Mekeil Williams 67’), Arturo Ordóñez, Shane Wiedt, Toby Sims (Jesse Williams 75’); Dani Rovira (Dane Kelly 67’), Danny Griffin; Kenardo Forbes (Angelo Kelly 84’); Albert Dikwa (Luke Biasi 75’), Russell Cicerone

New York Red Bulls II lineup (3-4-3) — AJ Marcucci (Derrek Chan 46’); Daniel De Leon, Lamine Conte, Christopher Cragwell; Curtis Ofori (Jonathan Filipe 68’), Sam Williams (John Murphy 68’), Michael Knapp, O’Vonte Mullings; Jesús Castellano, Jeremy Rafanello (Jordan Adebayo-Smith 61’), Zach Ryan

Scoring summary

PIT — Alex Dixon 12’ (Kenardo Forbes)
PIT — Russell Cicerone 19’
PIT — Russell Cicerone 67’ (Dani Rovira)

Discipline summary

NY — Jesús Castellano 17’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
PIT — Danny Griffin 46’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
PIT — Jelani Peters 50’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
PIT — Shane Wiedt 57’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
PIT — Dani Rovira 64’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
NY — Jordan Adebayo-Smith 78’ (caution – unsporting behavior)

Game Day: Hounds at New York Red Bulls II

Match info

Riverhounds (7-6-3) vs. New York Red Bulls II (1-12-3)
Date: Friday, July 1
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: MSU Soccer Park, Montclair, N.J.
Odds: Hounds -130 / Draw +270 / New York +290 (FanDuel)
Streaming: ESPN+
Live statistics: USL Championship Match Center
Live updates: @RiverhoundsSC on Twitter
Match hashtags: #NYvPIT and #HOUNDTAHN

(July 1, 2022) — In the midst of the team’s longest winless run in three seasons, the Hounds have a chance to get back on the winning track in their only Friday night tilt of the season when they visit New York Red Bulls II.

The recent downturn in form has caused the Hounds to slip below the frontrunners in the Eastern Conference over the past month, but a win in New Jersey would push the team right back into fourth place as it reaches the official midpoint of the schedule. The Baby Bulls, on the other hand, have struggled with just nine goals and a single victory in their first 16 matches, but draws this season against Tampa Bay and San Diego — currently the third-place teams from each conference — illustrate the danger posed on this road trip.

It was that same Tampa Bay team that toppled the Hounds last Saturday, as defensive miscues allowed the Rowdies to take a 5-2 win. There were positives on the offensive end, however, as goals by Arturo Ordóñez and Russell Cicerone made the Hounds the first team to put two past the Rowdies in well over a month, and the chances were there to add more to the total.

Relevant streaks, both good and bad, are on the line going into the match. The Hounds are trying to end their winless streaks both overall and on the road, but they will be doing so against a Red Bulls II side they have beaten in their past six meetings, three of which were at MSU Soccer Park. In those past six meetings, the Hounds have outscored New York, 16-3.

Still, there are no guarantees against New York, whose attack is led by Jordan Adebayo-Smith. The young, speedy striker has three goals this season, and he scored against the Hounds a season ago while with Tampa Bay. The Baby Bulls are in bounce-back mode themselves, having suffered their worst loss of the season last Saturday in a 5-0 defeat at El Paso.

Because of the Friday night kickoff, the match will not air live locally. However, all matches remain part of the USL Championship’s broadcast package and will be streamed via ESPN+.

Fans in Pittsburgh can also catch the game being shown live at the team’s official watch party destination, Mike’s Beer Bar on the North Shore. Mike’s will show the broadcast on their TVs at the bar, where they boast a selection of more than 500 beers and a menu that includes a “New York” road trip special — a lamb pastrami sandwich.

Game notes at New York Download

Young players feel the heat in Pathway Program

Academy players getting the chance to train with the pros might sound like a fun opportunity. But now that the Riverhounds Pathway Program is back and running, the players taking part have found out quickly that there’s a lot of hard work involved, too.

So far this year, seven academy players have been selected to take part in training with the Hounds’ pro team, and another four players are scheduled to get their chance in late July. For each of them, it is a chance to see everything that it takes to compete at that level and see what is necessary to reach their dream of making it on a professional roster.

The most recent set of players who trained with the team in June, Oliver Daboo, Alex Hauskrecht, Josh Jashinski and Nathan Katari, share the common thread of having at least another full year of high school, putting them in the ideal age range for players who could be signed to a USL Academy contract. And while it has been hard work, the player have been enjoying their time working with the pro team.

“It’s been pretty surreal, honestly. Growing up a Riverhounds fan and having been in the academy my whole life, and now to be actually here with the guys and playing with them, it feels special,” Daboo said.

“It’s been awesome. I’ve been at the Riverhounds for a really long time. To see the players and what they can do on the field, and then to be able to do it with them in training, it’s just awesome they get to live this life.” said Hauskrecht, a teammate of Daboo’s on the 2005 Boys academy team.

The boys have been challenged day-in and day-out in practice with the team. Not only have they contended with being 15- to 17-year-olds playing against grown men, but they have also been subjected to extremely hot conditions. And the demands of head coach Bob Lilley remain high on all his players in training, whether you’re a high schooler or a veteran like Kenardo Forbes or Dane Kelly.

“That’s been the toughest part. These guys are stronger and tougher than anyone we have ever played against. I think we are adapting well, but it’s definitely a massive change in pace.” Hauskrecht said.

“The first day was rough,” said Josh Jashinski, another member of the 05 Boys team. “You know the first day at it is just learning, but as the weeks go on, you can see as a group how we’ve been able to step up and try to keep up with them”

“When I go back and train with my normal team, it feels much easier, you know exactly what you are doing and how to compete,” said Katari, the youngest of the academy players to take part coming from the 2007 team.

But while he presses them in training, Lilley enjoys having the academy players in training and loves seeing the talent the academy has to offer in hopes of one day — perhaps soon — signing a homegrown player to his First Team.

“It’s good to have them out. We get to see where they are at in their development,” Lilley said. “The last couple years with Covid, it’s been hard to see them and how they can do with our guys. It’s a big jump, the speed of play, and that sometimes shows up, but they’re quite capable.”

Lilley knows how important it is to develop talent through an academy and how beneficial that is to an organization.

For example, look at fellow USL Championship club Orange County SC, which earlier this month reached a transfer deal with Stade de Reims for 18-year-old defender Kobi Henry. The deal, which ESPN reported as being for $700,000 with incentives and a sell-on clause that could push the total well over $1 million, was the largest in USL history.

“We want to help prepare them for this level down the road, potentially, and give them an idea of what they have to do to chase this particular dream. It also helps them to see the higher levels that will prepare them when they go off to college,” Lilley said. “The first couple days, they were shaking in their boots a little bit. They relaxed, though. The (pro) guys know their names and definitely see improvement from Week 1 to Week 2. The longer time and more opportunity players get to play at higher levels helps. They’ve worked hard; our academy coaches do a good job with them.”

And while the Pathway Program is a huge step in that direction, it is the year-round mission of the Riverhounds Development Academy to develop and groom its locally raised players, so they can ultimately be in positions to receive contracts with the First Team.

“It’s the connection for us. We know there will be players sooner rather than later that are ready to make the jump,” Lilley said. “We need to be constantly looking and giving them opportunities, and hopefully in the not too distant future, we’ll see a younger academy kid really start to turn the corner. We had (Chicago-area native) Wyatt Borso before, he’s going to Notre Dame but was able to play (with the First Team) on an academy contract. We’re making a lot of progress in that area.”

Story written by Riverhounds staff intern Dante DeBaldo.

Rowdies deliver first home defeat to Hounds

PITTSBURGH (June 25, 2022) — A return home wasn’t enough to end Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s winless run, as the Hounds fell 5-2 to the defending Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Rowdies tonight at Highmark Stadium.

Arturo Ordóñez, the first-year defender out of Pitt, scored his first professional goal to give the Hounds (7-6-3) an early lead, but the Rowdies (8-3-6) would tie the game two minutes later and score the next five goals to pull away before Russell Cicerone netted his fifth of the season.

The loss gives the Hounds their first three-game losing streak since 2017, but they remain in the playoff spots in the Eastern Conference with one game until the midway point of the season.

First half

Things started brightly for the Hounds, who got the lead in the 13th minute on a goal that featured a pair of milestones.

Alex Dixon received a pass from Cicerone in the middle of the box, and wheeled around to find Ordóñez making a run down the right. Not only was the well-struck finish the first goal as a pro for Ordóñez, it was the 30th career assist for Dixon, making him only the sixth player with 40 goals and 30 assists in USL Championship history.

The lead was short-lived, however, as a misplayed ball by the Hounds defense allowed Kyle Greig to get behind the back line and tie the match in the 15th minute.

Five minutes later, Tampa Bay pulled ahead when Leo Fernandes was first to a ball flicked high in front of goal by Yann Ekra. In the 41st minute, Jake LaCava made it 3-1 Rowdies with a simple finish from a Sebastian Dalgaard pass on the counter-attack.

Second half

The Rowdies tacked on two more goals, the first on some clever play by Fernandes, who popped the ball into the air to himself and finished with a shot that went in off the right post in the 57th minute.

Substitute Lucky Mkosana netted the visitors fifth, also in off the right post, after forcing a turnover off the Hounds defense and breaking in alone.

The Hounds, who actually had more shots, 11-9, and 59 percent of possession, finally got their second goal when Cicerone placed home the rebound of a saved header by Albert Dikwa in the 75th minute. It was Cicerone’s fifth goal of the season, moving him into a tie for second on the team this year.

Hounds Man of the Match

Arturo Ordóñez got his first career goal playing a little out of position, moving to right back instead of his usual center back spot. He also created two chances, including a dangerous cross that gave Cicerone a chance to put the Hounds ahead 2-1. Ordóñez also added a couple of clearances and was in the top three on the team for duels won, aerial duels won and possession won.

What’s next?

Seeking to end their winless run, the Hounds will look to get back on track against the Eastern Conference trailers New York Red Bulls II (1-11-3). It will be a short week, however, as the match is at 7 p.m. Friday at MSU Soccer Park in Montclair, N.J.

Riverhounds SC lineup (4-2-3-1) — Kevin Silva; Nate Dossantos (Marc Ybarra 69’), Jelani Peters (Shane Weidt 46’), Mekeil Williams (Dani Rovira 69’), Arturo Ordóñez; Kenardo Forbes (Toby Sims 78’), Angelo Kelly (Luis Argudo 78’); Alex Dixon, Danny Griffin, Russell Cicerone; Albert Dikwa

Tampa Bay Rowdies (4-2-3-1) — CJ Cochran; Aaron Guillen, William Antley, Jordan Scarlett, Laurence Wyke; Lewis Hilton, Yann Ekra (Brunallergene Etou 77’); Sebastian Dalgaard (Sebastian Guenzatti 77’), Leo Fernandes (Santiago Castaneda 91’), Jake LaCava (Juan Tejada 77’); Kyle Greig (Lucky Mkosana 53’)

Scoring summary

PIT – Arturo Ordóñez 13’ (Alex Dixon)
TBR – Kyle Greig 15’ (Sebastian Dalgaard)
TBR – Leo Fernandes 20’ (Yann Ekra)
TBR – Jake LaCava 41’ (Sebastian Dalgaard)
TBR – Leo Fernandes 57’ (Lewis Hilton)
TBR – Lucky Mkosana 64’
PIT – Russell Cicerone 75’

Discipline Summary

TBR – Lewis Hilton 55’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
PIT – Arturo Ordóñez 73’ (caution – unsporting behavior)

Game Day: Hounds vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies

Match info

Riverhounds (7-5-3) vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies (7-3-6)
Date: Saturday, June 25
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Highmark Stadium
Odds: Hounds +140 / Draw +240 / Tampa Bay +155 (FanDuel)
Tickets: Ticketmaster
TV: 22 The Point
Streaming: ESPN+
Live statistics: USL Championship Match Center
Live updates: @RiverhoundsSC on Twitter
Match hashtags: #PITvTBR and #HOUNDTAHN

PITTSBURGH (June 25, 2022) — The Hounds return home to Highmark Stadium after playing four road games in five matches when they host the reigning Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Rowdies at 7 p.m. tonight.

Tonight’s matchup marks the second meeting between the Hounds and Rowdies this season. Tampa Bay found the win in their first meeting in St. Petersburg, Fla., as an early goal by Alex Dixon was undone in a 3-1 defeat. But Highmark has been good to the Hounds in this matchup with a 3-0-3 all-time home record against the Rowdies.

Last week, the Hounds fell short at Rio Grande Valley FC with a final score of 1-0 in the Texas heat, but despite losing their last two road matches, the Hounds have a 6-0-1 record (5-0-1 in USL matches) at home. The team has additional history on its side, as it has not lost three consecutive matches since Bob Lilley became head coach prior to the 2018 season.

To find success tonight, the Hounds are going to have to get through a hot team in the Rowdies, who have not lost a game since April 30 against Memphis. In their last six games, they have posted four wins and two draws, which includes their win over the Hounds. Finding the back of the net has not been an issue for the Rowdies, especially for Jake LaCava who leads the team with six goals, and Leo Fernandes, who earned the Fans Choice USL Championship Goal of the Week on his latest tally.

One former Hounds player who will not be in action is Steevan Dos Santos, as the Rowdies’ forward is out with an injury. Tampa Bay also recently acquired former Hounds All-USL selection Thomas Vancaeyezeele, which could line him up to face his old club twice at Highmark after already visiting with his previous team, Birmingham Legion.

Off the field, the Hounds will be celebrating Pride Night on Saturday. As part of the festivities, the national anthem will be performed by the Renaissance City Choir, and there will be a raffle table inside the Tailgate Zone with prizes generously donated by local businesses. Proceeds from the raffle will be donated to multiple LGBTQ+ organizations in the Pittsburgh region who have been featured this month in our Pride Spotlights on Instagram at @RiverhoundsSC.

As always, the Tailgate Zone at Highmark Stadium will open at 5 p.m. New this week is a Brochachos Salsa sampling, and right outside the Tailgate Zone will be a Virtual Reality Display presented by our partners with the U.S. Air Force. The Sandwich Guy and Hoshi are the featured food trucks for the evening, and drinks, including the Hounds Amber Lager from Straub, will be available as soon as Tailgate Zone opens.

Also part of the fun will be a meet & greet with 105.9 the X radio star Mark Madden. The “Super Genius” will be in the pub at Highmark Stadium when gates open at 6 p.m., and fans are welcome to meet and talk sports with Mark before kickoff.

Tickets for the match are still available through Ticketmaster or by visiting the Highmark Stadium Box Office. The game can be seen on 22 The Point and streamed via ESPN+.

Game Notes vs. Tampa Bay Download

RDA teams primed for national ECNL Playoffs

There’s going to be some left-coast living for the Riverhounds Development Academy over the next week.

The RDA’s 2005 Girls team will be in the Pacific Northwest to kick off play in the ECNL’s North American Cup on Wednesday, June 22, and the 2005 Boys will start play in the very first session of the ECNL Champions League in sunny Southern California beginning Saturday, June 25.

For both teams, who qualified for the national tournaments based on their season-long performance in ECNL league play and at ECNL national showcases, it’s an opportunity to show off their talents in front of hundreds of college scouts in a new setting. It’s also a chance to bring a major trophy home to Pittsburgh to close their Under-17 age group season.

“It’s going to be an amazing experience going to San Diego and playing in front of all the college coaches there, hopefully getting recruited,” 05 Boys defender Nick Allan said. “The teams we’re going to be playing are the top teams in the country, and that’s what we’re here for. That’s the competition we want to play against.”

*The RDA’s 2005 Boys pass the ball around to get loose before their training session Monday night at Highmark Stadium.*

For the girls, there won’t be much time right away to enjoy the scenery of Redmond, Wash., the Seattle suburb where they will play.

The team arrived in Washington on Tuesday and has to be ready to play in a Wednesday night contest against Maryland United. And while the team is guaranteed matches throughout the week, the North American Cup’s championship bracket is a single-elimination format, meaning the pressure is on from the opening whistle.

“We’ve definitely talked about it. If you lose the first game, it’s done. It’s not like a group where you play a few games and then see if you made it in or not, so I think it makes each game feel that much more important to win and do our job,” 05 Girls defender Bella Vozar said.

How the team performs will determine when they play through the weekend, with the goal being to stay undefeated and reach the Monday morning championship game.

Even if the team falls short of that goal, advancing to the ECNL national playoffs has been a commendable feat for the 05 Girls, who were plagued by injuries during the season and faced some matches with a very shorthanded squad.

“We’re super-excited because we’ve had sort of a long year with a lot of injuries and ups-and-downs. At one point, we were down to 12 players on our team, and we had to grind through that,” Vozar said. “But we’ve put in so much work from the fall up until now, so I think we’re ready for this.”

The boys, who will play in Del Mar, Calif., about 15 miles north of San Diego, face a more traditional tournament structure with pool play before reaching the knockout rounds.

The 05 Boys will face Missouri side KC Scott Gallagher to begin play at 8 a.m. local time (11 a.m. Eastern) on Saturday, before meeting Tulsa SC (Okla.) on Sunday and South Carolina United on Tuesday to wrap up group play. Only the group winners advance to the knockout rounds, which begin Thursday with the Round of 16.

Just like their counterparts heading to Washington, the 05 Boys haven’t encountered all smooth sailing this year, either. But they were able to stack enough wins to qualify for the top tier at nationals, and now they have a shot to prove they’re among the ECNL’s best.

“We’re really ramping up the practices and getting more fit for San Diego — really just working,” Allan said of the team’s preparation. “It’s been a journey for our team. We’ve had some injuries, and we’ve kind of had to scratch and scrape through some games to pull it off and get to the playoffs. At the very end, we weren’t even sure we had gotten in, so it took a lot to get there.”

Family, friends and fans will be able to follow along with the two teams in the ECNL Playoffs through the Riverhounds Development Academy’s social media channels: @HoundsAcademy on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Father’s Day holds extra meaning for Dixon

Father’s Day is an extra-special day on the calendar this year for Hounds veteran Alex Dixon.

Dixon is celebrating six days of parenthood this Father’s Day, after he and his wife, Eda, welcomed their first baby boy, Oliver, on June 13 at 1:54 a.m.

“I actually didn’t know that Father’s Day was coming up so soon after he was born,” Dixon said. “My wife told me about that when he was born, and I like to joke that I get the first holiday without really having to do much for the last 10 months besides putting furniture together.”

Since his arrival, spending time and caring for Oliver has been a surreal experience for the new father. Taking time away from the soccer field has been well worth it to finally be able to hold Oliver in his arms, and he’s enjoying every moment of it.

“You kind of plan for nine months until the baby’s arrival, but when he comes, it’s just such a different feeling,” Dixon said. “It’s like an overwhelming sense of joy. It’s been a little hard getting used to being on the baby’s schedule, as opposed to your own schedule. I’m so happy that he was delivered healthy and whole, and it’s been fun.”

Kenardo Forbes, who is the father of two children himself, could feel his longtime teammate’s excitement leading up to the birth of Dixon’s newborn son. As someone who has experienced the ups and downs of parenthood, he was ready to give his teammate some parenting advice.

Forbes also made sure to give Dixon a heads up of what to expect in the early stages with a focus on the struggle of not getting much sleep.

*Alex Dixon holds his newborn son, Oliver. (Photo courtesy of Dixon)*

“It changes because it’s not about you anymore,” Forbes said. “As a good dad, great that I think I am, I think it’s about changing. I do everything just for them, and I try to make them as happy as possible. It’s not about me anymore. I’m a grown man.”

Balancing life as a professional soccer player and a father is something Forbes had to adjust to. A part of the sport is travelling to road games, so being away from his family for three or four days at a time isn’t always easy for him.

“It’s tough, especially with a little one who sticks to me a little more than his mom,” Forbes said. “So as soon as I leave, he starts to cry, and as soon as he hears the door, he just comes crawling to the door to see me. So, I miss him when I go on the road.”

Travelling with the team while also being a new father is something Dixon had to adjust to quickly. Thursday was his first day back to practice after Oliver’s birth, and two days later, he came off the bench to play 45 minutes in the Hounds’ loss Saturday at Rio Grande Valley.

While Dixon eases back into soccer, he’s trying to help out his wife as much as he can without being overly tired in the morning for training.

“It’s all about him now. It’s all about managing, helping out, and just being there. But as far as the sleep, It’s kind of his schedule now. So, when he wakes up, we all have to wake up, and we’re just hoping for a good sleeper in the future,” Dixon said.

He continued: “It’s a great deal in being a father, and it’s a totally new aspect of your life. I’m just so blessed and thankful to be able to have a son now and to share this with my wife. So, a huge Father’s Day shout-out to all the fathers out there.”

Visit @RiverhoundsSC on Instagram to see a special Father’s Day post honoring all the dads on our team.

Story written by Riverhounds staff intern Grace Heidinger.

Goals run dry for Hounds in Texas heat

(June 18, 2022) — It was a second straight road setback for Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, as advantages in shots and possession didn’t translate into goals in a 1-0 loss to the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros tonight at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas.

Ricky Ruiz scored late in the first half for the Toros (7-8-1) in the first-ever meeting between the two teams, while the Hounds (7-5-3) were shut out in consecutive league matches for the first time since August 2021.

The Hounds outshot the Toros, 10-5, and they had a significant edge with 62 percent of the possession in the game. The setback drops the team’s road record to 2-5-2, but three of the next four are at home, where the Hounds remain undefeated.

First half

As one would expect with first-time opponents, the game got off to a cagey start, and neither team recorded a shot in the first 10 minutes.

RGV had the first close chance in the 27th minute, when Isidro Martinez struck the left post after the Toros forced a turnover and moved in transition.

Shortly after, the Toros took the lead when Luka Malesevic launched a high cross from the right side of the field toward the back post. Ruiz got between defenders, though with not much space, he opted to hit the shot on his first touch and found the right corner of the net in the 34th minute.

Second half

The Hounds began the half bringing Alex Dixon off the bench. It was the 200th career USL Championship appearance for Dixon, who missed last week’s match for the birth of his first child.

Traffic flowed the Hounds’ direction for much of the half, as they had 64 percent of the ball and held RGV to one shot. Despite that, the team took until the final 15 minutes to really test goalkeeper Javier Garcia.

Albert Dikwa forced a save at close range after Dane Kelly slipped a pass through to him, and the Toros were able to scramble the ball away with Kelly and Dixon looming on the second chance.

Dikwa momentarily thought he had a stoppage-time equalizer after being played in behind the defense, but the offside flag was correctly raised as the Hounds’ striker put the ball in the net. A last-minute shot by Dixon was saved by Garcia, who made three stops in the shutout.

Hounds Man of the Match

Alex Dixon came off the bench and immediately made the Hounds’ attack seem a bit more potent. His four shots were most on the team, he connected on 83 percent of his passes in the final third, and his five touches in the RGV box were second only to starter Russell Cicerone.

What’s next?

After playing four of its past five matches on the road, the Hounds will start to see more home games, beginning with a tough assignment against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday, June 25 at 7 p.m. The Rowdies (7-3-6) drew 1-1 earlier tonight at home against the resurgent Charleston Battery.

Riverhounds SC lineup (4-2-3-1) — Kevin Silva; Nate Dossantos, Jelani Peters (Dani Rovira 67’), Mekeil Williams (Luis Argudo 89’), Shane Wiedt; Angelo Kelly, Marc Ybarra (Alex Dixon 46’); Russell Cicerone (Dane Kelly 67’), Danny Griffin, Kenardo Forbes; Albert Dikwa

Rio Grande Valley FC Toros lineup (4-2-3-1) — Javier Garcia; Jonathan Ricketts, Erik Pimentel, Wahab Ackwei, Luka Malesevic; Juan Pablo Torres (Juan Cabezas 58’), Emilio Ycaza; Ricky Ruiz (José Torres 83’), Robert Coronado (Dylan Borczak 58’), Isidro Martinez (Jesús Vázquez 90’); Adolfo Hernández (Frank Gaviria 83’)

Scoring summary

RGV — Ricky Ruiz 34’ (Luka Malesevic)

Discipline summary

None

Game Day: Hounds at Rio Grande Valley FC

Match info

Riverhounds (7-4-3) at Rio Grande Valley FC Toros (6-8-1)
Date: Saturday, June 18
Time: 8:30 p.m.
Location: H-E-B Field, Edinburg, Texas
Odds: Hounds +128 / Draw +235 / Rio Grande Valley +170 (Bet Rivers)
TV: 22 The Point
Streaming: ESPN+
Live statistics: USL Championship Match Center
Live updates: @RiverhoundsSC on Twitter
Match hashtag: #RGVvPIT

(June 18, 2022) — Winless in their past four matches, the Hounds will try to get things moving in the right direction again tonight in their first-ever meeting with Rio Grande Valley FC. The match is a 7:30 p.m. start locally in the southern tip of Texas, and an 8:30 p.m. start Eastern time.

Notable in the Hounds’ recent matches has been the decline offensively over the past six weeks. After scoring 16 goals in their first seven USL Championship matches to rank among the league’s leaders through March and April, the Hounds have scored just six goals in the past seven matches, going 2-3-2 in that stretch, which includes last Saturday’s disappointing 3-0 loss at Charleston.

Where the spark will come from is anyone’s guess. Dane Kelly (six goals) and Albert Dikwa (five goals) still lead the team in scoring and have shared the central striker position, but since the start of May, the duo has just one goal between them. Russell Cicerone and Alex Dixon each scored twice in May, but no one has hit a run of goals that makes them stand out as the “in-form” man.

On the positive side for the Hounds, Bob Lilley again has his whole roster after Thursday’s practice included full participation. Mekeil Williams was back from two weeks on international duty with Trinidad, new father Dixon also was on the field, and goalkeeper Jahmali Waite was back in Pittsburgh barely 24 hours after being on the bench for Jamaica in their 1-1 Nations League draw with Mexico.

RGV also boasts a clean injury report, and their scoring has been balanced with Frank Lopez, Emilio Ycaza and Robert Coronado each scoring four goals to share the Toros’ top spot. Coronado, a defender now mixing in among the midfielders, and Wahab Ackwei, a defender the Hounds have tangled with during his time playing for Loudoun, accounted for RGV’s goals last week before Oakland rallied to end the match as a 2-2 draw.

While much of Pittsburgh was complaining about this week’s heat, when highs peaked at 97 on Wednesday, the team’s late-morning practices might have served to get the Hounds acclimated to what they will face tonight. A high temperature of 92 is predicted in Edinburg, Texas, and by match time, things should have cooled into the mid-80s.

The match will be the Hounds’ ninth USL road game of the year, compared to just six home games thus far, but fans will be able to follow along as usual with the local live broadcast on 22 The Point and streaming anywhere in North America on ESPN+.

Game Notes at Rio Grande Valley Download

Gregovits stepping down as Hounds President

PITTSBURGH (June 15, 2022) — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC President Vic Gregovits is leaving his position heading the team’s front office this week, ending a successful tenure that has produced growth for the club in multiple areas.

Gregovits, who joined the Hounds in April of 2021, was responsible for helping the club navigate its way back after the pandemic-affected 2020 season. With the return of fans to Highmark Stadium, he spearheaded new additions to the fan experience with the introduction of the Tailgate Zone in the West Lot, the on-field I.C. Light Corner Kick Suite and the addition of Sodexo Live! as the official hospitality partner of the Riverhounds and Highmark Stadium.

Gregovits is stepping away from the Hounds to accept a new position as the Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company in Canton, Ohio.

“We want to thank Vic for his time leading the organization,” Riverhounds owner Tuffy Shallenberger said. “The growth we have had over the last year in both ticket sales and business partnerships is a reflection of his hard work, and he has helped put the Riverhounds in a position to continue growing for years to come.”

In addition to the Hounds’ growth, Highmark Stadium has added significant events that Gregovits was instrumental in bringing to the venue. Over the past year, the stadium became the home to the University of Pittsburgh women’s lacrosse team, has hosted concert events including the weekend-long Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, and was renewed as the home of the WPIAL Soccer Championships under a multi-year agreement.

The Hounds, led by Shallenberger and Gregovits, have already begun an extensive search to fill Gregovits’ role heading the front office.

News

Presented By