The Howler

Bill Clinton resided in the White House. Next’s “Too Close” claimed the top spot on the Billboard Year End Chart. And Titanic won best picture at the 70th Academy Awards.

In the midst of these cultural feats, the Greater Pittsburgh Area was awarded something it had been without for the past 30 years. On March 11, 1998, a professional outdoor soccer team was conceived in the City of Bridges. Founded by Paul Heasley, the club would join the USL A-League for its inaugural campaign in 1999.

What originally was coined the Riverdogs soon turned into the Riverhounds, a team initially coached by John Kowalski and built around first-ever draftee Justin Evans. During the early years of playing on local high school pitches, club greats such as Gary DePalma, David Flavius and Phil Karn wrote their chapters in Hounds history.

Almost 20 years later, the story features a much different scene being acted out by a novel cast of characters. The team no longer plays in the backdrop of local high school facilities, but rather the skyscrapers of a downtown metropolis. Formerly threaded in blue and white now soaked in black and gold, the kits also annunciate new names, so much so that 16 athletes became freshly minted Hounds at the start of the 2017 campaign.

But even with all these changes, one thing remains constant: the Hounds are at the center of the pulse and evolution of soccer in Pittsburgh and throughout western Pennsylvania.

The Early Years

Most notably being the former home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Forbes Field featured more than a baseball team in 1967.

As Roberto Clemente collected a batting title on its baseball diamond, the Pittsburgh Phantoms of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) tallied goals on its field. But after going 10-14-7 in its inaugural campaign, the Phantoms folded in the offseason as the NPSL merged with the United Soccer Association to form the North American Soccer League.

Since then, clubs such as the Pittsburgh Spirit and the Pittsburgh Stingers fielded soccer teams of the indoor nature with the former having greater longevity and success. From 1978-86, the Spirit called the Civic Arena their home while they competed in the Major Indoor Soccer League as an original six member. Although they never won a league championship, the Spirit did finish second place in the East during the 1979-80 campaign, advancing into the postseason’s semifinals before being ousted.

But as the Spirit competed under the same roof as the Pittsburgh Penguins, the ghosts of outdoor soccer remained at large in the Pittsburgh region – that is until a team manifested on the pitch on May 1, 1999.

Playing their inaugural match in front of a sellout crowd at Bethel Park Stadium, the Hounds began their run as Pittsburgh’s longest lasting professional soccer team. Those who were late acquiring tickets stood and watched Emil Haitonic score the first goal and Evans record the first assist in franchise history.

Often times, it can take a few years before a professional sports team acquires centerpieces to build around, but the Hounds did not seem to have this difficulty. Members of the inaugural 1999 team still flood the club all-time leaders lists, as five members currently reside top 10 in caps and four members rank top 10 in goals. Flavius holds both of these all-time records with 183 appearances and 56 goals.

While the Hounds discovered their star power relatively quickly, it took longer for the team to find a home of its own. From 1999-2012, the franchise bounced around from Bethel Park High School Stadium, Moon Area High School Stadium, Falconi Field and Chartiers Valley High School Stadium.

But in 2013, the Hounds finally acquired a home field, which fittingly rests along the Monongahela riverbank.

A Home at Highmark

The days of professional soccer teams playing at baseball fields, hockey arenas and high school confines were over.

On Jan. 10, 2012, an official announcement confirmed Highmark Stadium would be constructed by the end of the calendar year, guaranteeing the Hounds a permanent place to play home soccer games.

Like it had for its inaugural game at Bethel Park Stadium in 1999, the club sold out its first-ever match at Highmark Stadium, as 4,000 fans welcomed the team for an in-state showdown against the rival Harrisburg City Islanders.

The City Islanders ended up winning the match, 2-1, but the game was a huge success and step forward in solidifying Pittsburgh’s place in the American soccer pyramid. The Hounds were ahead of the curve, as only two other USL teams had a soccer-specific stadium of their own at the time.

The Black and Gold continued to grow over the next couple seasons and demonstrated their potential as recently as the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. For the nationwide tournament, the squad hosted three matches at Highmark Stadium. After feasting on the West Virginia Chaos in the second round and the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the third round, the Hounds turned their attention to D.C. United of MLS.

In the fourth round tilt, D.C. United notched the first tally in the 8th minute, but the Hounds would answer with a first-half score of their own. Taking a penalty kick in the 24th minute, Rob Vincent – the eventual No. 3 all-time goal scorer in team history – sent a shot past the opposing goalkeeper to knot the match at 1-1.

The game would eventually need extra time to decide a victor, and it was then D.C. United pulled away for a 3-1 win. Despite the loss, the Hounds proved they could go toe-to-toe with a franchise of the highest level of soccer in America.

A Look to the Future

The Hounds still call Highmark Stadium home, and the facility is a symbol of the growth of soccer in western Pennsylvania from the brief stint of the Phantoms and the glory years of the Spirit.

As the Black and Gold celebrated its fifth season at the venue earlier this year, it now looks to secure a playoff spot as it wraps up the final five games of its 2017 season. If it does, it will have the opportunity to bring Pittsburgh its first-ever USL soccer championship.

Whether a title is in the Hounds’ future remains uncertain, but Pittsburgh can expect to see a gold tint at the foundation of soccer across the region for the years to come – no matter who may don the home kit hue at Highmark Stadium.

After falling to first-place Louisville City FC, 3-0, the Riverhounds (8-9-10) will try to bounce back against the Rochester Rhinos (11-5-9) at 7 p.m. this Saturday at Highmark Stadium. The teams tied their previous meeting at Rochester, 0-0.

Two-Headed Attack

The Rhinos had relied on Jochen Graf and Wal Fall for much of their offensive output this season. Both players are the only athletes on Rochester’s roster who have at least 10 points this season, and they each rank No. 1 and No. 2 in goals scored (Fall with eight tallies and Graf with six goals). The Hounds defense will need to mark this duo come Saturday.

Iron Man

Tobi Adewole has not missed a minute in the past 12 games for the Hounds. In fact, the center back joins Joe Greenspan and Lalas Abubakar as the only non-goalkeepers this year who have played a full-90 minutes in every one of their appearances. Of these three, Adewole paces the group in games started, logging four more caps than the next closest in Greenspan. Expect the rookie defender to help hold down the backline moving forward.

Wrong Side of the Whistle

For the first time since a July 8 meeting against Orlando City B, Pittsburgh recorded more fouls than its opponent this past weekend against Louisville. This season, the Hounds have tallied the least amount of fouls in the Eastern Conference, so expect a bounce back performance in the discipline department against Rochester.

Ritchie Duffie has made five straight starts on the Pittsburgh backline. In this timeframe, the defender has six tackles and 17 clearances, helping the Hounds to a 3-1-1 record and a shutout of the rival Harrisburg City Islanders on Aug. 12.

Last time out against Louisville, the Hounds struggled to apply consistent offensive pressure. Pittsburgh recorded six shots, tying its season-low total. Although Rochester will be another tough team to crack as it has allowed the least goals in the Eastern Conference, the Hounds will need to up their attack come Saturday.

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds (8-9-10) wrap up their brief two-match homestand this weekend when they face the Rochester Rhinos (11-5-9) at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Highmark Stadium.

This will be the second of three meetings between Pittsburgh and Rochester this season. The two teams last met on July 22, a scoreless draw in Rochester, and meet again in Pittsburgh on Oct. 7 for the series finale.

All time, Rochester leads the head-to-head series, 23-6-5. 

The Rhinos currently hold the third seed in the USL Eastern Conference. With seven matches to go, the club is well on its way to its fourth straight postseason berth, only needing 11 points to clinch a spot.

Rochester most recently played Ottawa Fury FC to a 1-1 draw on Sept. 9 and has dropped only two matches in its past 10 played (5-2-3). 

Goalkeeper Tomas Gomez is tied for first in the East and second overall in the USL with nine clean sheets. Gomez has stopped 72.5 percent of shots faced and steadies a strong Rhinos’ defensive unit.

The American keeper was in net the last time the Hounds and Rhinos met, making four stops total, including two ten-bell saves on Kay Banjo and Romeo Parkes, respectively, in the second half to secure his then-eighth shutout of the season.  

Strengths

Defense – The Rhinos’ 11 clean sheets are tied for both the Eastern Conference lead and second-best in the USL. Rochester has given up multiple goals in only five matches so far this season (1-3-1) and its 0.92 goals allowed average is tied for tops in the East.

Crosses – Not only do the Rhinos’ 76 successful crosses lead the conference, but so do their 345 open cross plays. Working the ball on both sides of the field is pivotal to Rochester’s success.  

Weaknesses

Road record – Despite a strong 7-2-4 performance at home, the Rhinos have struggled on the road, posting a 4-3-5 record. 

Scoring – Rochester holds the fourth-worst conversion rate in the conference at 13 percent and the club’s 29 goals scored slots in a tie for the fourth-lowest scoring output in the East.

It was an uncharacteristic situation.

In a home match against Bethlehem Steel FC on Aug. 26, Jamal Jack gathered a through-ball from Kevin Kerr just inside the 18-yard box. The center back moved the ball to his right foot and released a shot at the net defended by Jake McGuire.

As the sphere traveled toward the goalmouth, a Steel FC defender deflected it, causing it to alter direction and slide past McGuire into the bottom-left corner of the net.

“All eyes were on the goal,” Jack said. “[My last goal] was a year ago in El Salvador. It’s been a long time.”

The goal was Jack’s first in a Hounds uniform and helped the club post a 3-2 victory against the in-state foe. Kerr, who assisted Jack’s tally, later netted the game-winner in the 75th minute and went on to be named USL Player of the Week after his four-point performance.

“Even at 2-2, boys still were flying forward, boys still believed that we would win,” Kerr said.

As 31 different players have recorded playing time for the Hounds this season, Kerr and Jack have provided leadership from the opening matches of spring to the club’s current five-game undefeated run. Both players have combined for more than 4,000 minutes this year, as Kerr (2,273) paces the team in the statistic whereas Jack (2,093) leads all Hounds defenders.

“I think both guys are number one experienced,” head coach Dave Brandt said. “Kevin in general with the Riverhounds and Jamal, it’s his first year here, but he’s got a wealth of pro experience.”

Before Kerr potted his game-winning goal against Steel FC, he was in the midst of one of the longest scoring droughts of his career.

Heading into the match, the midfielder had not scored in 23 straight matches, as his previous tally had occurred in the season opener back on March 25. But this all changed when he found a loose ball on the opposing goal line.

As Bethlehem midfielder James Chambers failed to clear the ball from danger, Kerr rushed in and hit it into the net with a sliding shot to provide the Hounds with a one-goal lead they would not relinquish.

“It was weighing on me a little bit,” Kerr said about not scoring since the season opener. “I kind of expected it to bounce off the post. I just gambled and some nights they drop for you. Tonight was a good night.”

Despite battling a goalless streak for much of the season, Kerr found other ways to help catalyze the Hounds attack. He currently leads the Hounds with five assists and also ranks second in the Eastern Conference with 55 chances created.

It can be tough for many players to find ways to be effective in scoring slumps like Kerr’s, but the Pittsburgh veteran still remained active on the field and as a leader in the locker room – a quality that makes him an ideal captain for the Black and Gold.

“With Kevin, especially this year, it’s just been a constant high-level of concentration, focus and work ethic,” Brandt said. “There are lots of moments for sure – not the least of which his goal against Steel – but that’s just the result of a constant focus, work ethic and willingness to lead in that sense by example.”

On his ideal poster, Jack would be depicted heading the ball away from danger.

The defender has often headed and claimed possession over opposing attackers throughout the season, leading the team with 58 aerial duals won and 133 clearances.

Jack’s heading skills and clearing abilities were on full display last time out in a road match against FC Cincinnati on Sept. 2. In the 33rd minute, Andrew Wiedeman attempted a cross past the Pittsburgh goal, which was vacated by goalkeeper Matt Perrella, as he stepped from the net to cut down the angle along the end line.

Being the only obstacle in the way of Wiedeman’s cross to a Cincinnati teammate breaking free near the back post, Jack reacted quickly and headed the dangerous scoring chance out from the penalty area. This clearance, along with seven others, helped the Hounds to a 1-1 draw in front of a hostile environment and crowd of 22,643 at Nippert Stadium.

“That full [backline] is super young and they do a great job,” Brandt said, “but to have Jamal’s steadying influence in that sense is really important.”

In games such as these, the 29-year-old extends his veteran leadership throughout the rest of the backline, which starting lineup over the past four matches has consisted of a 24-year-old, a 25-year-old and a 21-year-old rookie, in addition to Jack.

“From my experience, I give to the younger guys around me,” Jack said. “I tell them, ‘let’s go, let’s try not to make any silly mistakes.’”

Throughout the 2017 season, the Pittsburgh backline has featured quite a few combinations. Joe Greenspan and Lalas Abubakar are no longer with the club, as their loan periods have ended. Meanwhile, opening match-starter Rich Balchan has been out of the lineup since May, as he rehabilitates from a season-ending Achilles injury.

Jack, along with backline mate Taylor Washington, are the only defenders to record at least 1,000 minutes this season, which has seen 26 games up to this point.

“Jamal’s the strong, silent type,” Brandt said. “It’s not necessarily what he says as much as how he plays and what he does. I do think when Jamal speaks, people listen because he’s not always chattering, But when he says something, people will know it matters.”

Each week, Jack has taken it upon himself to lock down the opponent’s leading scoring threat, and the Charlotteville, Trinidad and Tobago native has hit his stride this past month. In three of the Hounds’ past four matches, he has recorded at least 10 clearances and aided the defense in allowing just one goal per game during this stretch.

Louisville City FC is up next on the schedule and remains one of the most difficult teams in the Eastern Conference to defend. The club ranks No. 1 in the East in shots (391) and No. 2 in goals (45). Despite this seemingly daunting task, Jack and the Hounds backline will embrace this challenge.

“I’m ready for the battle any time – whoever,” Jack said. “Anyone that comes my way, I’m ready for the challenge.”

After moving their unbeaten streak to five matches last time out with a 1-1 draw at FC Cincinnati, the Riverhounds (8-8-10) return to Highmark Stadium to battle with Louisville City FC (14-5-5) at 7 p.m. on Saturday. Louisville holds the season advantage over Pittsburgh, winning the previous two meetings.

Jack it Up

Jamal Jack has held down the Pittsburgh backline over the course of this season. The center back has come up large for the Hounds as they make their playoff run and has averaged 10.25 clearances per match over the past four games. He should continue to be a force defensively moving forward.

Home Improvement

After starting the season 3-5-1 at home, the Hounds have gone undefeated in their past three matches at Highmark Stadium (1-0-2). Pittsburgh, which lost 1-0 at home earlier this year to Louisville, will look to keep its point streak alive on Saturday.

Collective Effort

This season, all but one player who has appeared in a match for Louisville has notched at least one point for the club. Even more, only two players who have appeared in games have been held without a goal. Louisville is deep in terms of its attack, and the Hounds will need to account for every opposing attacker in the defensive third this weekend.

With his goal this past weekend, Hertzog moved into fourth all-time in club history with 24 career tallies. Next up on the list is Hounds great Rob Vincent, who scored 25 goals in his illustrious career.

Louisville ranks second in the Eastern Conference with 391 total shots and the club has posted 37 total shots in its previous two meetings against the Hounds in 2017. The Pittsburgh backline will need to be crisp with its passing and limit shots on target against an explosive Louisville attack this Saturday.

Amidst a five-match unbeaten streak, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (8-8-10) return home to face Louisville City FC (14-5-5) at 7 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 9, at Highmark Stadium.

Pittsburgh dropped its two prior meetings against Louisville this season. The first was a 1-0 loss at Highmark Stadium on May 20 and the second a 3-0 defeat on June 17 at Louisville Slugger Field.

Since Louisville joined the USL in 2015, it holds a 4-1-2 edge in the all-time series with the Hounds.

After back-to-back appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals, Louisville City FC is looking to take the next step in 2017 and reach the USL Cup Final for the first time in club history. Thus far, they’re on pace for their best regular season finish in franchise history.

Louisville has the best record in the East at 14-4-5 and has won six of its last eight matches. Additionally, the club has yet to lose back-to-back matches all season.

Hounds’ midfielder Kevin Kerr would lead the USL in chances created if not for Louisville City FC midfielder Oscar Jimenez. With 56 chances created, Jimenez not only leads the USL, but has 26 more chances created than anyone else on his own team.

Jimenez also leads Louisville with five assists and has added two goals. Defensively, Jimenez’s 45 interceptions are tops on Louisville and his 31 tackles are fifth. 

Strengths

Shots – Louisville’s 391 shots lead the USL, as do its 150 shots on target. The surplus of scoring opportunities has led to a 15 percent conversion rate – tied for sixth-best in the East.

Bounce back – After losses this season, Louisville is 5-0. Louisville most recently padded that record with a 1-0 win over the Charleston Battery on Sept. 2, which followed a 3-0 loss to Orlando City B on Aug. 26.

Weaknesses

[shoulder shrug emoji]

The Riverhounds completed an undefeated month of August with a 3-2 victory over Bethlehem Steel FC last time out, moving their winning streak to three games. Pittsburgh (8-8-9) now looks to carry over the momentum from a hot August into September and turns its attention to a road showdown against FC Cincinnati (9-9-7) at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Captain’s Courtesy

Kevin Kerr increased his team-leading assist total to five after notching two more against Bethlehem this past Saturday. The captain also added a goal in the match, bringing his season-point total to nine. In all, his effort against Bethlehem secured him USL Player of the Week honors. Look for Kerr, who leads the Eastern Conference with 53 chances created, to once again generate opportunities against FC Cincinnati.

Dual-threat

Known for his defensive prowess, Jamal Jack recorded his first goal in his Pittsburgh career this past weekend. The center back also tallied a season-high 12 clearances on the defensive end in the Hounds’ winning effort to add to his overall team-leading total of 122. Although he may be unlikely to score another goal on Saturday (Jack has four shots on the season), the defender will look to continue clearing away opposing scoring opportunities.

All Falls Down

Djiby Fall leads FC Cincinnati in goals (11), points (23) and shots (47). One of these tallies occurred in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati’s previous meeting this season and held up as the game-winner in a 1-0 match. The Hounds backline will need to lock in on Fall this weekend.

This past weekend, Corey Hertzog scored his 23rd career goal with the Hounds, moving him into a tie for fourth place with José Angulo and Phil Karn on the club’s all-time list. Hertzog and Karn are also tied for the most goals in club history by U.S.-born players.

During his first game in net for the Hounds, Matt Perrella stopped two of four shots faced and aided the club to three points. Now as he fills the void left by Trey Mitchell and Keasel Broome, who both underwent respective season-ending surgeries this month, Perrella will need to build off of the win and further his relationship with his backline.

This weekend, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (8-8-9) look to extend their winning streak to a season-high four matches when they face FC Cincinnati (9-9-7) at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 2, at Nippert Stadium.

The road match is the first time the Hounds have played FC Cincinnati since April 1 when Pittsburgh lost 1-0 at Highmark Stadium.

Since FC Cincinnati joined the USL last season, the Hounds are 0-3-1 versus them.

At 9-9-7, FC Cincinnati only has one more point than the Hounds, but is two spots ahead at seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings. FC Cincinnati is fifth in the East in goals conceded (35), sixth in goals scored (33) and tied for seventh in conversion rate (14 percent). 

Last weekend, FC Cincinnati snapped four-match winless streak by defeating Ottawa Fury FC, 3-1. Prior to the streak, FC Cincinnati went 6-3-4 from May 6 – July 22, a stretch that saw the club never go more than two matches without a win.

In his first season with FC Cincinnati, forward Djiby Fall leads the club with 11 goals. That mark by the Senegal native is also fourth-best in the East. As fantastic as Fall is offensively, he has had issues with discipline this season. Fall’s two red cards are tied for the league lead and his 41 fouls conceded are most on the team.

Strengths

Home dominance – The difference between FC Cincinnati’s play at home and on the road is remarkable. FC Cincinnati is 7-2-5 at Nippert Stadium and 2-7-2 elsewhere. Only the Tampa Bay Rowdies (9-1-2) have collected more points at home than FC Cincinnati.

Headers – FC Cincinnati’s 10 header goals are tops in the East. They have taken advantage close to the goal, scoring a total of 30 goals inside the box, fifth-best in the East.

Weaknesses

Record against winning teams – FC Cincinnati is only 1-6-5 against USL opponents with a winning record. Though it currently holds a playoff spot, FC Cincinnati could be in trouble in postseason play since every team ahead of it in the standings has a positive record.

Discipline – Including Fall’s two red cards, FC Cincinnati has received a league-high eight red cards this season. FC Cincinnati’s 338 fouls and 44 yellow cards are sixth and eighth, respectively, in the East.

It wasn’t a shootout, but it sure felt like one.

Needing three points to keep pace in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt, the Riverhounds’ fate at Saint Louis FC on Aug. 19 came down to two penalty kick opportunities in the game’s second half.

In the 66th minute, Trey Mitchell faced the first of these penalty takes. After tripping up Tony Walls and conceding a foul in the 18-yard box, the goalkeeper prepared to right his wrong and dug his heels in 12 yards from Milan Petosevic, who lined up to take the try for Saint Louis.

Starting his run at the edge of the penalty area, Petosevic fired a left-footed shot at Mitchell. As the ball sailed toward the goalmouth, the Alta Loma, California native dove to his right and blocked away the high-danger scoring chance.

“I watched his eyes and saw him peak to the right post, so I had a little bit of an idea he was going there,” Mitchell said.

Just seven minutes later, the Hounds found themselves on the other side of a PK. Mirroring the first penalty inside the box, Corey Hertzog won a foul against Saint Louis goalkeeper Adam Grinwis. The striker soon after placed a right-footed shot into the back of the net, firing the ball straight ahead past the keeper, who guessed left.

“Before every game, I pick where I want to go for a penalty kick,” Hertzog said. “I picked down the middle and thankfully he chose left.”

Hertzog’s penalty tally, being his second goal of the match, served as the game-winner in Pittsburgh’s 2-1 win over the Eastern Conference foe. The victory marks a two-game winning streak for the Hounds as they head into the final eight games of the 2017 campaign, as well as moves the club into 10th place in the East – just one point out of a playoff spot.

“We need to focus on three points for every game,” Hertzog said. “We have five games left at home and must get three points. Our goal is to make it into the playoffs.”

Starts with the Cup

The Black and Gold welcomed silver into its possession.

After defeating the rival Harrisburg City Islanders, 3-0, on Aug. 12, the team rushed FNB Field to hoist the Keystone Derby Cup. Romeo Parkes and Chevaughn Walsh, who led the charge during the game and combined for all seven of the Hounds’ points, joined in celebration with their teammates and the Steel Army fan base who made the trip.

This game marked the second time the Hounds scored at least three goals in a match this season and broke a seven-game winless streak. But most importantly, this contest served as a catalyst for the club.

The carryover of this momentum was evident in Pittsburgh’s aforementioned win against Saint Louis, especially on the offensive side of the ball. For the first time this year, the Hounds scored multiple goals in consecutive tilts while outshooting these opponents, 32-21, during the last two times out.

“We’ve been in a situation where we haven’t rewarded ourselves in opportunities created,” Mitchell said. “I think the Harrisburg win was a bit of a fresh air knowing we’re still in it and we’re not far from where we want to be.”

Head coach Dave Brandt started the same 11 players in both of these matches and even kept with his starting lineup for nearly the entire Saint Louis match, making his only substitution in the 88th minute.

“The chemistry has been pretty good,” Mitchell said about the team’s recent starting lineup. “It’s been a confidence booster to each individual player. We’ve been looking for a solidified backline and forwards, but we still believe no matter who’s out there can get the job done.”

Road Ahead

This Saturday, the Hounds look to accomplish a season first.

With the exception of tying its only March game, Pittsburgh hasn’t yet completed a full-month’s worth of play with an undefeated record. The Hounds, holding a 2-0-1 record in August, are now one home game away against Bethlehem Steel FC from accomplishing this feat.

“I think we’re playing with more confidence,” Hertzog said. “I think it’s knowing we need to win to make the playoffs.”

The Hounds traveled to and tied Steel FC, which featured a short-handed roster, as some players were called up to MLS affiliate Philadelphia Union, in the teams’ first meeting this season. Now just more than one month later, the Hounds sit three points behind Steel FC in the East and can draw even with the foe with a win. Both teams have been moving in different directions over the past couple weeks, as Pittsburgh has won two straight games whereas Bethlehem has dropped two straight matches.

“We didn’t play them at full strength the first time around and we missed an opportunity to get three points,” Mitchell said. “It felt like a loss to us, but they’re a good team. I think for us it’ll be a battle to get into a playoff spot.”

Hertzog said Bethlehem’s defense bunched and was stout up the middle in the previous matchup and the Hounds will need to have their outside backs get wide and play crosses back to the center of the field to help counter this.

“Bethlehem is a tough team,” Hertzog said. “We need to get a goal early.”

The rest of the 2017 campaign will not be an easy road for Pittsburgh. Starting with Bethlehem on Saturday, six of the final eight games remaining are against teams that currently hold an Eastern Conference playoff spot. This includes two games against Rochester, currently the No. 5 seed, and another against Louisville City FC, which leads the East in points per game played (1.95).

Even with this tough stretch looming, the Hounds are focusing on one thing at a time.

“We can’t get ahead of ourselves and take it day by day, hour by hour and second by second,” Mitchell said. “We have Bethlehem this weekend, need to focus on that game and put out our best performance on Saturday.”

The Riverhounds (7-8-9) look to extend their two-game winning streak this weekend when they clash with in-state foe Bethlehem Steel FC (10-10-3) at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Highmark Stadium. Pittsburgh tied Steel FC, 1-1, in their first meeting this season at Goodman Stadium.

Dominate the state

This season, the Hounds are undefeated against Pennsylvania opponents, holding a 2-0-2 record. This is a great improvement over the club’s 2016 record of 1-3-2 in such games. Pittsburgh has two matches left against in-state foes (both against Bethlehem) and looks to keep out of the loss column on Saturday.

Riding with Ritchie

Ritchie Duffie has started at wing back during the past two games for the Hounds, recording five tackles and six clearances in this timeframe. Filling in for Marshall Hollingsworth, who is out due to injury, he has played a full-90 minutes in each of these contests – a feat he had not completed since early June. Look for Duffie to keep an increased role on the backline.

Climbing charts

With his two goals last time out against Saint Louis FC, Corey Hertzog moved into sixth all-time in club history with 22 tallies. The striker sits one goal away from moving himself into a three-way tie for No. 5 all-time with José Angulo and Phil Karn. A native of Reading, Pennsylvania, Hertzog would also tie Karn for most goals scored by a U.S.-born player in club history.

Since making his debut on July 4, Tobi Adewole has started nine straight games at center back for the Hounds. In this span, he has logged the maximum allotment of minutes (810) and should continue to be a mainstay moving forward.

With the announcement that Bethlehem leading scorer Seku Conneh will begin serving a three-game suspension this Saturday, James Chambers’ presence is magnified for Steel FC. The midfielder ranks near the top in most offensive categories for the club, being No. 2 in goals (5), No. 3 in shots (23) and No. 4 in chances created (17). The Hounds backline will need to hone in on Chambers this weekend.