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USL Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Game Notes - Riverhounds SC vs. Hartford

October 29, 2021 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release


GAME 32 - QUICK HITTERS

- By clinching their spot in the USL Championship playoffs, the Hounds joined Louisville City FC and Phoenix Rising FC as the only three clubs who have clinched a playoff spot in each of the past four seasons, 2018-21.

- The Hounds will clinch second place in the Atlantic Division and a home game against Memphis 901 in the first round of the USL Championship Playoffs with a win today and a loss or draw by the Charlotte Independence at Austin Bold. Any other combination of results means the Hounds will finish third and begin the postseason at either Birmingham Legion or Louisville City.

- Hounds striker Russell Cicerone leads the team with 16 goals, and he is second on the Hounds with eight assists on the season. Through Wednesday's play, he was on the only USL Championship player in the top 10 in both categories.

- Midfielder/winger Alex Dixon has nine goals and nine assists after adding to his team assists lead with the helper on Cicerone's game winner last Saturday vs. Charleston. Both Dixon and Cicerone have a shot to be the first Hounds player with a 10-goal, 10-assist season; the closest to doing so was Kevin Kerr with 10 goals and nine assists in 2015.

- Goalkeeper Danny Vitiello has eight shutouts this season after his most recent on Wednesday against Miami FC. That gives him 13 clean sheets since joining the Hounds at the start of 2020, which places him fourth all-time in club history.

- Midfielder Danny Griffin is the only player who has started every match this season for the Hounds, and he has played all but 12 minutes thus far in 2021. Four others have appeared in every match: Cicerone, Dixon, midfielder Todd Wharton and defender Shane Wiedt. Assuming he appears today, Griffin will have played in every Hounds match over his two seasons with the club.

- Midfielder Kenardo Forbes is third on the team with six assists this season, and his USL Championship record of 45 career assists is under pressure from one of his opponents today, Hartford's Danny Barrera. Barrera, who leads the league with 12 assists this season, has 44 in his career after recording an assist in Hartford's last match against Charleston.

- In 124 all-competition matches under Bob Lilley, the Hounds have allowed just 111 goals, an average of 0.90 goals per game.

The Hounds were able to hold on to their lead in the USL-ordered replay of the final 24 minutes of their match at Miami. The Jonas Labe own goal in the 66th minute that ignited the controversy stood as the only goal in the match, and Hounds goalkeeper Danny Vitiello recorded one save -- which came 11 days prior -- to earn his eighth clean sheet of the season.

- Russell Cicerone has 16 goals this year, giving him the third-best single-season goal total in club history. He trails only record-holder Thiago Martins in 2003 (23 total goals, 22 league goals) and Rob Vincent in 2015 (21 total goals, 18 league goals). His next strike would also put him in the top 10 on the club's career list.

- Kenardo Forbes has 57 points (13 goals, 31 assists) with the Hounds, which places him seventh in club history, one point behind Rob Vincent (58 points from 2013-16).

- Danny Vitiello recorded his 15th win of the season against Miami on Wednesday. With another win in goal today, he ties Chris Robinson's single-season team record for goalkeeping wins -- 16 in 2004.

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