USL Rochester Rhinos

On Trial

Published on March 8, 2014 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rochester Rhinos News Release


Rochester Rhinos head coach Bob Lilley used his first preseason match of the 2014 season to evaluate 16 trialists as the Rochester Rhinos played to a scoreless draw with the Syracuse Orange.

The Rochester Rhinos opened the match with 27 players on their preseason roster. Only 11 players were under contract. With two exhibition matches this weekend, Rhinos head coach Bob Lilley opted to field completely different starting elevens in each half.

The first half ended in a scoreless draw. The Rhinos eleven featured only two players who were under contract - fifth year midfielder Tyler Rosenlund and rookie forward Minh Vu. Third year Rochester Rhinos goalkeeper Brandon Miller, who is in camp as a trialist, made four saves to keep a clean sheet during his 45 minutes in goal. Miller won both matches that he started in USL PRO last season, and he posted a 1.50 goals against average with one clean sheet.

Lilley started the second half with a line-up that included four players under contract: USL PRO veteran center back Kyle Hoffer, second year center midfielder Lance Rozeboom, forward Sam Petrone, and left back/left midfielder Ayao Sossou. The Rhinos also featured trialists Alex Dixon and Colin Rolfe.

Dixon was a player in residency with the U-17 United States Men's National Team, and played three years with the University of North Carolina before he signed as a "homegrown player" with the Houston Dynamo (MLS) in January 2011. Dixon went on to play 13 matches over three seasons with Houston. Rolfe was a two-time All America selection and Hermann Trophy Finalist with the University of Louisville before being drafted by the Houston Dynamo in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft.

Rochester Rhinos rookie goalkeeper John McCarthy was missing from the match with an injured finger. Second-year striker Matt Luzunaris has returned to training with the team, but did not appear in the match against Syracuse. Luzunaris suffered a season ending broken leg in the Rhinos 2012 home opener against the Harrisburg City Islanders back on May 6th. Rhinos 2012 MVP JC Banks is still with his indoor soccer team, the Milwaukee Wave, as the MISL playoffs begin this weekend.

The Rochester Rhinos next home preseason match is on Sunday, March 7th at 2PM in Sahlen's Stadium against Binghamton University. The match is open to the public, and admission is free of charge.

Rochester Rhinos season tickets, flex packages and group ticket sales are currently available, and they can be purchased by calling (585)454-KICK (5425), by visiting the MVP Health Care Box Office at Sahlen's Stadium, or by visiting ticketmaster.com.

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