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Dutch Lions Won't Rest on Laurels

July 2, 2013 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Dayton Dutch Lions News Release


Dayton, OHIO - The Dayton Dutch Lions have finished the first half of the regular season without having tasted defeat in their last nine contests. The 23 points resulting from a 6-2-5 record has the Dutch Lions sitting in seventh place. With half the season left to be played, Dayton has a lot of work to do before achieving the goal of making the playoffs. The Dutch Lions will continue to push toward that goal this week, when the Rochester Rhinos and Richmond Kickers visit the Gem City.

The Dutch Lions' Head Coach Patrick Bal said, "Since the beginning of the season, we've come together a lot. We are a lot more organized, and we have had good results compared to last season. I think that it will take 40 points to get into the playoffs. Rochester is trailing us in the standings, so we must win this game to keep it that way."

The Rochester Rhinos (3-7-6) finished second in the USL PRO regular season ago, but got off to a slow start in 2013. With two wins and three draws in their last five outings, it appears that the Rhinos may be getting back on track under interim head coach and Hall-of-Famer Pat Ercoli. Although Rochester currently sits in eleventh place in the standings, they will provide a challenge for the Dutch Lions.

Bal said, "Rochester is much more organized than they were in the beginning of the year, and they are gaining confidence. This will be a tactical battle. They tend to sit back and wait to capitalize on the other team's mistakes, but they really need to win this game. We'll see how they come out against us."

After the Rochester match, Dayton will only have one day of rest before the Richmond Kickers (8-0-6) roll into town with an undefeated record. Though most of the Kickers' success has been achieved at home, last weekend's road trip demonstrated that the team is capable of handling the league's best teams on the road. Head Coach Leigh Cowlishaw, also a Hall-of-Famer, guided his team to a 2-0 victory at first-place Orlando and a draw at Tampa Bay on the very next day.

"The win against Orlando was good, but Richmond has been impressive all season. They are a very mature team. They really control the game, and I admire their style. They play to win," stated Bal. "The longer they stay undefeated, though, the bigger the chance is that they'll lose one. Hopefully that is to us."

With the most difficult part of their schedule still lying before them, it will be important for the Dutch Lions to earn points against Rochester and Richmond this week. They hope to make good use of the home field advantage. Both games will be played at Beavercreek High School. First kick against Rochester is scheduled for 1:00 PM on Thursday, July 4. The contest against Richmond will begin at 7:30 PM on Saturday, July 6. For ticket information, please visit www.daytondutchlionfc.com.

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