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USL Rochester Rhinos

First Place Rochester Rhinos Travel to Second Place Charleston on July 3

July 1, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rochester Rhinos News Release


Rochester, NY - The Rochester Rhinos begin a three match in nine day stretch on Friday, July 3rd taking on the Charleston Battery in a United Soccer League (USL) match at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm ET.

Rochester and Charleston are currently the top two teams in the USL Eastern Conference. The first place Rhinos are riding a club record 14 match unbeaten streak to start the season (9-0-5, 32 points) and are five points clear of the Battery, who stand at 7-2-6 for 27 points. However, Charleston is unbeaten at home (5-0-3) and has outscored their opponents at Blackbaud Stadium 16-7.

The Rhinos' defense has allowed only five goals in USL league matches and are on pace to break the 1998 Rhinos' team record for fewest goals given up in a season at 15. The back line is led by fourth year keeper Brandon Miller, who leads the USL with a 0.32 goals against average and six and a half shutouts in nine and one half matches played. Offensively, the Rhinos are paced by Christian Volesky with five goals and one assist, Steevan Dos Santos with four goals and Alex Dixon with three goals. Charleston's offense stands fifth in the USL and are led by Dane Kelly with six goals (tied for eighth in the USL) and one assist, Ricky Garbanzo with four goals and Maikel Chang with one goal and six assists (third in the USL).

This is first league match between the Rhinos and Battery in 2015, but the teams have a long and storied history against each other dating back to 1997 when the USISL (the forerunner to the USL) and the old A-League merged. Rochester has played Charleston more times than any other current USL team; a total of 43 matches overall, with a 15-9-8 mark in the regular season, 5-2-3 in the playoffs and a loss in the 2004 US Open Cup.

In their last USL match on June 27, the Rhinos beat Pittsburgh 1-0 at Sahlen's Stadium paced by a shutout from Miller and a 78th minute penalty from Tony Walls in a match where both teams were hampered by torrential rain, driving wind and a waterlogged field. The Battery also played their most recent match on Saturday and posted a 4-1 win over visiting Harrisburg, with Kelly tallying twice and Garbanzo and Taylor Mueller also scoring.

The next Rhinos home match is Wednesday, July 8 at 7:05 pm against FC Montreal. Tickets for all Rhinos home matches, including flex packages and group sales tickets, are also currently on sale and can be purchased by calling (585) 454-KICK (5425), online via Ticketmaster, by visiting the MVP Health Care Box Office at Sahlen's Stadium during business hours or by visiting rhinossoccer.com.

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