USL Rochester Rhinos

Rhinos Host Phoenix FC Wolves Saturday Night

June 28, 2013 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rochester Rhinos News Release


The Rochester Rhinos host the Phoenix FC Wolves in Sahlen's Stadium on Saturday, June 29th at 7:05PM.

The Rochester Rhinos have picked up eight of their last 12 points, and are unbeaten in the month of June since their 0:3 loss in Pittsburgh on June 1st. Rochester is unbeaten in their last five home matches in Sahlen's Stadium. The Rhinos have moved out of the 12th spot in the table and are currently tied for tenth with Wilmington. Rochester has outscored their opponents nine to five during the streak. The Rhinos are currently seven points behind Pittsburgh for the eighth and final playoff spot.

Rochester's Tam McManus has led the team in scoring during the unbeaten streak with three goals and one assist while his strike partner Blake Brettschneider has two goals and three assists. 2011 Rhinos MVP Tyler Rosenlund has scored two goals and added one assist, and 2012 Rhinos MVP JC Banks has had two assists. Left back Danny Earls has had one goal and one assist, including last Friday night's game-tying goal against Antigua Barracuda FC.

Brettschneider joined the Rochester Rhinos during the 2013 off season after spending the past two seasons in Major League Soccer. He played in 32 matches and made 19 starts with D.C. United and the New England Revolution. Brettschneider played in 17 matches and scored two goals with one assist in 893 minutes with the Revs. D.C. United drafted Brettschneider with the third pick in the second round of the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft, and he scored one goal and added one assist in 15 matches with the club. He was the 2010 Conference USA co-Offensive Player of the Year and Conference USA Most Valuable Player after scoring seven goals and adding ten assists as a senior. Brettschneider had 19 goals and 17 assists in his collegiate career with the University of South Carolina.

One of the main reasons behind the Rhinos return to form is several key players ability to return to the roster after recovering from injury. At one point Rochester was missing 11 players due to injury including: captain Troy Roberts (hamstring), veteran center back Georgios Kyriazis (hamstring), Banks (ACL), right back Lucas Fernandez (groin), New England Revs defender Bilal Duckett (hamstring), rookie winger Michael Reidy (hamstring), central midfielder Ross LaBauex (calf), New England Revs striker Matt Horth (metatarsal), center midfielder Michael Tanke (compartment syndrome), striker Matt Luzunaris (broken leg), and Chris Estridge (undisclosed). All of those players except for Tanke, Luzunaris, and Estridge have returned to the roster. Horth will face a pre-match fitness test to determine if he can participate in Saturday night's match. Fernandez is not eligible for Saturday night's match. He will be serving a one match suspension after he was sent off in the 70th minute of Rochester's 2:1 victory over Antigua on Friday, June 21st.

First year USL PRO club Phoenix FC is making their inaugural trip to Sahlen's Stadium for their first ever match against the Rochester Rhinos on Saturday night. Phoenix enters the match in 12th place in the USL PRO table with 11 points from 16 matches. The Wolves have been good at home with a 2-2-4 record, but are still looking for their first away victory after an 0-7-1 start on the road. Phoenix FC starting goalkeeper Andrew Weber and standout midfielder Diego Faria both did not make the trip East due to injury. Sheldon Parkinson is expected to start in goal this weekend as the Wolves play in Harrisburg on Friday night before traveling to Rochester for Saturday night's match.

The Rochester Rhinos will host the Phoenix FC Wolves in their next home match on Saturday, June 29th at 7:05PM in Sahlen's Stadium. Individual tickets 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. Individual tickets, group tickets and flex packages for the 2013 USL PRO season are also on sale now.



United Soccer League Championship Stories from June 28, 2013


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