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USL Rochester Rhinos

Rhinos Drop Season Finale in Los Angeles

August 18, 2013 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rochester Rhinos News Release


FULLERTON, Calif. - The Rochester Rhinos lost their final match of the 2013 USL PRO season against the LA Blues 1:2 on Saturday, August 17th, 2013.

Center midfielder Tyler Rosenlund scored the equalizer for the visitors in the 67 th minute, but the Rochester Rhinos could not find a stoppage time winner for the third consecutive match. Matt Fondy scored the game-winning goal after the 90 th minute for the Los Angeles Blues to give them the victory.

The first half ended in a scoreless draw, but visiting Rochester had the better of play evidenced by their six shots to the Blues two. Los Angeles made two half time substitutions sending George Davis IV and Matt Fondy into the match, while Rochester Rhinos Interim Head Coach Pat Ercoli sent on Thomas Kelly McManus for Pierre Rudolph Mayard.

It took only five minutes for the Blues substitutions to pay off. Davis IV served a good cross into the box, and Shay Spitz was able to finish it to give the home side a 1:0 lead. The finish was Spitz fourth goal of the season. It was Davis IV's fourth assist and 22 nd point of the season.

In the 67th minute 2013 MVP Danny Earls served a corner kick into the Blues box for the visiting Rhinos. The Blues cleared Earl's corner, but only as far as Rochester center midfielder Tyler Rosenlund at the top of the box. Rosenlund drove his shot on goal, and blasted it into the back of the net from 20 yards away. The goal was the third for Rosenlund this season.

Rochester Rhinos striker Blake Brettschneider was booked in the 83rd minute, and then sent off for his second cautionable offense one minute later to leave the visitors to close out the match with only ten men.

On Friday, August 9th McManus finished a set piece on the last kick of the match to give Rochester a 1:0 victory over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the Rhinos home finale. On Friday, August 16th McManus struck again to score the game winning goal in stoppage time in a 4:3 victory over Phoenix FC.

However, on Saturday night it was. Fondy who restored the Blues' lead in the first minute of stoppage time off of an assist from Spitz. Fondy's finish was his tenth goal of the season while the assist was the first of the season for Spitz.

With the victory the LA Blues finish sixth in the USL PRO table. The Blues ended up with 40 points from 26 matches with an 11 - 8 - 7 record. The Blues will travel to Charleston for a USL PRO Quarterfinal match against the defending Champion Battery on Saturday, August 24th at 7:30PM in Blackbaud Stadium.

The Rochester Rhinos finish the season on 28 points after 26 matches with a 6 - 10 - 10 record. 2013 is the first season in club history that the Rochester Rhinos will miss the playoffs and finish with a record under .500. However the Rochester Rhinos were 5 - 4 - 9 since Ercoli returned to the sidelines on May 19th, 2013.

2013 USL PRO PLAYOFFS

Quarterfinals

Saturday, August 24

No. 4 Harrisburg vs. No. 5 Charlotte,2 p.m. ET, Skyline Sports Complex

No. 1 Richmond vs. No. 8 Dayton,7 p.m. ET, City Stadium

No. 2 Orlando vs. No. 7 Pittsburgh,7:30 p.m. ET, Florida Citrus Bowl

No. 3 Charleston vs. No. 6 Los Angeles,7:30 p.m. ET, Blackbaud Stadium

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