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USL Rochester Rhinos

Miller Sets USL Shutout Record in Draw with Richmond

September 5, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rochester Rhinos News Release


ROCHESTER, NY - The Rochester Rhinos and Richmond Kickers played to a scoreless draw in City Stadium on Saturday, September 5th 2015. Rochester goalkeeper Brandon Miller made two saves to keep his 12th clean sheet of the season, and set the USL single season record for shutouts in the process. Richmond Kickers Travis Worra made one save to record his fifth shutout of the season. After allowing six goals in three August matches, the Rhinos have shut out their last three opponents.

Rochester entered the match in first place in USL Eastern Conference with 53 points from 24 matches. The Rhinos led second place Louisville City FC by five points, and held a match in hand over chasing City. Richmond kicked off the match in the sixth and final qualifying place for the USL playoffs with 36 points from 25 matches, and the Kickers needed three points to keep pace in an increasingly tight race for the post season.

The Rochester Rhinos started without their captain and spiritual leader Tony Walls for the first time this season, but the midfielder was available on the bench as a substitute if needed. Center back Grant Van de Casteele continued to be absent from the game day 18 due to injury, but Rhinos 2015 leading scorer Steevan Humberto Fortes dos Santos returned to the starting line-up after missing last weekend's victory over Saint Louis FC with an injury to his hip flexor.

The Rochester Rhinos traveled to Richmond, Virginia fearing a Major League Soccer ambush similar to the one they faced last season in City Stadium when the Kickers fielded a side almost entirely composed of players on loan from D.C. United, but those fears never materialized. Richmond Kickers coach Leigh Cowlishaw made two changes to a starting 11 that dropped a home result to Charleston Battery 2:0 last Saturday night as Michael Callahan replaced Sascha Goerres in central midfielder and Anthony Grant replaced D.C. United's Collin Martin in midfield.

Whether the Rochester Rhinos defensive record will be historically good remains to be played out over the last three weekends of the 2015 USL regular season, but it's fair to say that Rochester has been the best defensive team to date in USL this season in allowing a league low 12 goals in their first 24 matches of the regular season. The Rhinos not only shut out the Kickers in the first half of Saturday night's fixture - they held the home team without a shot on goal. In a classic away performance Rochester was credited with one shot and edged Richmond three to two in corner kicks in the first 45 minutes. The Rhinos entered half time in a scoreless draw with Richmond.

The second half opened with both sides making offensive changes to set up a climactic finish to the Rhinos 25th match of the 2015 USL regular season. Walls replaced center back Julian Ringhof after halftime, and striker Christian Volesky replaced midfielder Jonny Mendoza in the 52nd minute in two attacking substitutions for the visiting Rhinos. D.C. United's Martin and USL icon George Davis IV replaced Callahan and Yudai Imura in a double substitution for the Kickers in the 65th minute. After striker Colin Rolfe replaced dos Santos in the 74th minute for Rochester, and Matthew Delicate replaced Jason Yeisley in the 81st minute for Richmond, the stage was set for high drama in the closing minutes of the match in City Stadium.

The action started in the 82nd minute when substitute Sascha Goerres got loose down the left flank for Richmond, and his cross went all the way through the Rhinos box to Davis IV on the right flank. Davis IV settled Goerres' cross and dribbled into the Rochester penalty area before setting up Martin on the near post, but Martin was unable to put his shot on frame.

One minute later at the other end of the pitch Rhinos attacking midfielder Alex Dixon ran at a tired Kickers back four, got into the home side's penalty area, dribbled around left back Luke Michu, and drew Worra out of goal before having his effort from an impossible angle cleared off of the home side's goal line. The clearance only went as far as Rochester central midfielder Sean Totsch whose effort from the top of the box sailed over the cross bar.

When a Davis IV effort off of a corner kick sailed over the top of the Rhinos cross bar in stoppage time it appeared that the result was set, but Miller would still have to save his best for last to preserve the draw for visiting Rochester. The Kickers final break began when the Rhinos turned the ball over in the Richmond half of the field, and Martin exploded down the left touch line to ignite a counter attack with pace and power. Martin played a perfect through ball over the top to Anthony Grant, and Grant was in alone on Rochester's goal. Grant shot from the top of the box and tried to bend the ball into the lower left corner of Miller's goal. The Rhinos goalkeeper had a long way to go, but ultimately dove to his left to parry Grant's effort away. However, the rebound was probably further than Miller would have liked, and forced him into a point blank reaction save on Davis IV from inside the six yard box to extinguish the threat and claim a point for the visiting Rhinos. In a season of moments that have led the Rhinos to the top of the USL Eastern Conference with three matches left to play, Miller's last two saves of the evening could be his finest contribution to the cause.

Louisville City FC kicked off at 8:30PM against New York Red Bulls II in Red Bull Stadium, and now the Rhinos will be forced to sit, wait, and watch they result as the 2015 USL Eastern Conference picture continues to develop. A City victory would cut the Rhinos lead to three at the top of the table while leaving Rochester with a match in hand.

The Rhinos next match is in Rochester against Toronto FC II on Saturday, September 12th 2015 at 7:05PM in Sahlen's Stadium. Single game tickets to the match are currently on sale and can be purchased by calling (585)454-KICK (5425), online via Ticketmaster, or by visiting the MVP Health Care Box Office at Sahlen's Stadium during business hours.

Rochester Rhinos playoff tickets, flex packages, and group sales tickets are also currently on sale and can be purchased by calling (585)454-KICK (5425), online via Ticketmaster, or by visiting the MVP Health Care Box Office at Sahlen's Stadium during business hours.



United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 5, 2015


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