USL United Soccer League Championship

Rochester, LA Seek First Title at 2015 USL Championship

October 15, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release


TAMPA, Fla. - The 2015 USL Championship is set as the Rochester Rhinos host the LA Galaxy II at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday at Sahlen's Stadium. The game will be streamed live on ESPN3 and on YouTube (www.Youtube.com/USL).

2015 USL Playoffs Hub on USLsoccer.com

The Eastern Conference's top-seeded Rochester Rhinos advanced to the USL Championship after a 1-0 victory against second-seeded Louisville City FC in the Eastern Conference Final on Saturday at Sahlen's Stadium. In the Western Conference, the No. 5-seeded LA Galaxy II went on the road to defeat No. 2-seeded OKC Energy FC 2-1 in the Western Conference Final on Sunday at Taft Stadium.

Both teams are looking for their first USL Championship title since the league's inception in 2011. Rochester is looking to become the first team since the 2011 Orlando City SC side to earn both the regular-season title and USL Championship. LA is looking to become the first MLS-owned USL franchise to win the league championship. The fifth-seeded Galaxy II also are looking to become the lowest-seeded team to win a USL Championship.

2015 USL CHAMPIONSHIP

Rochester Rhinos vs. LA Galaxy II | 7:30 p.m. ET | Sahlen's Stadium | ESPN3, YouTube

How the Rochester Rhinos got here:

Eastern Conference Semifinals - Oct. 3, 2015

No. 1 Rochester Rhinos 2, No. 4 New York Red Bulls II 0: Goal scoring: ROC - 48th min.: dos Santos (unassisted); ROC - 69th min.: dos Santos (Forbes). Goalkeepers: ROC - Miller (1 save, 0 GA, win); NY - Castano (3 saves, 2 GA, loss)

Eastern Conference Final - Oct. 10, 2015

No. 1 Rochester Rhinos 1, No. 2 Louisville City FC 0: Goal scoring: ROC - 23rd min.: Apostolopoulos (unassisted). Goalkeepers: ROC - Miller (2 saves, 0 GA, win); LOU - Goodwin (3 saves, 1 GA, loss)

How the LA Galaxy II got here:

Western Conference Quarterfinals - Sept. 26, 2015

No. 5 LA Galaxy II 1, No. 4 Sacramento Republic FC 0: Goal scoring: LA - 13th min.: Olivera (PK). Goalkeepers: SAC - Jakubek (0 saves, 1 GA, loss); LA - Diop (4 saves, 0 GA, win)

Western Conference Semifinals - Oct. 3, 2015

No. 5 LA Galaxy II 2, No. 1 Orange County Blues FC 0: Goal scoring: LA - 14th min.: Lassiter (Mendiola); LA - 54th min.: Lassiter (Mendiola). Goalkeepers: OC - Miranda (2 saves, 2 GA, loss); LA - Diop (3 saves, 0 GA, win)

Western Conference Final - Oct. 11, 2015

No. 5 LA Galaxy II 2, No. 2 OKC Energy FC 1: Goal scoring: LA - 7th min.: Lassiter (unassisted); LA - 23rd min.: Auras (unassisted); OKC - 66th min.: Andrews (Dalgaard). Goalkeepers: OKC - Newton (5 saves, 2 GA, loss); LA - Diop (3 saves, 1 GA, win)

USL DISCIPLINE REPORT:

Rochester forward Steevan dos Santos is suspended for Friday's USL Championship after he was sent off during the Rhinos' 1-0 win against Louisville City FC in the Eastern Conference Final on Saturday. The USL Discipline Committee ruled that dos Santos will serve a three-game suspension for violent conduct, meaning he will also miss the first two regular-season games of the 2016 USL season.

ROCHESTER NEWS & NOTES:

Playoff leaders: Steevan Dos Santos (2 goals), Kenardo Forbes (1 assist), Brandon Miller (3 saves, 2 shutouts)

Regular season leaders: Steevan Dos Santos and Christian Volesky (8 goals), Kenardo Forbes (5 assists), Brandon Miller (46 saves, 13 shutouts)

Regular season marks: 17-1-10 (61 points) | 12-0-2 at home; 5-1-8 on the road | 40 GF, 15 GA

With Rochester's advancement to the USL Championship, every edition of the title game has featured one of the league's original clubs from the 2011 season.

The Rhinos have reached their first league championship game since 2006. The club came up one win short of advancing to the title game in both 2011 and 2012.

Rochester's Jonny Mendoza is the only player in this year's USL Championship that has been involved in a previous final. He was a substitute for Orlando City SC during its 7-4 win against the Charlotte Eagles on Sept. 7, 2013, at the Citrus Bowl.

Goalkeeper Brandon Miller set a USL regular-season record with 13 shutouts, passing former Rhino Kristian Nicht and former Orlando City SC goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo (11 shutouts). With his two shutouts during the USL Playoffs, Miller now has 15 shutouts on the year.

The Rhinos are looking to become the first franchise since 2011 to win the USL Championship after becoming the USL Regular Season Champion. The only previous team to accomplish this feat was Orlando City SC, which was the 2011 USL Regular Season Champion with a 15-6-3 record (51 points) to win the American Division, then won all three postseason games. Orlando City capped off its run with a 3-2 shootout victory against the Harrisburg City Islanders after both sides played to a 2-2 draw through regulation and overtime.

Rochester is 3-3 all-time in the USL Playoffs since 2011.

LA GALAXY II NEWS & NOTES:

Playoff leaders: Ariel Lassiter (3 goals), Raul Mendiola (2 assists), Clement Diop (10 saves, 2 shutouts)

Regular season leaders: Ariel Lassiter (11 goals), Raul Mendiola (8 assists), Clement Diop (70 saves, 8 shutouts)

Regular season marks: 14-11-3 (45 points) | 6-5-3 at home; 8-6-0 on the road | 39 GF, 31 GA

LA is the first MLS-owned USL franchise to reach the USL Championship. The Galaxy II were one win shy of reaching the 2014 title game during their first season, falling to Sacramento Republic FC in the semifinals.

If fifth-seeded LA wins Friday, the Galaxy II would become the lowest-seeded team to win a USL Championship. That distinction is currently held by the third-seeded Charleston Battery in 2012.

Galaxy II forward Ariel Lassiter, the son of former Costa Rica standout Roy Lassiter, leads the 2015 USL Playoffs with three goals. He now has 14 tallies on the year.

The Galaxy II's Raul Mendiola became the fourth person in USL Playoffs history to record two assists in one game during the 2-0 victory against Orange County Blues FC. Mendiola joins Wilmington Hammerheads FC's Christian Davidson (2012), the Charlotte Eagles' Jorge Herrera (2013) and the Richmond Kickers' Jay Spitz (2014) in accomplishing this feat. Mendiola is tied with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC's Chandler Hoffman for the assists lead with two in this year's postseason.

LA is 4-1 all-time in the USL Playoffs dating back to 2011.

USL CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES:

The host team has never lost a USL Championship, going a perfect 4-0 since 2011.

Former Orlando City SC forward Dom Dwyer holds the record for most goals in a USL Championship with four in 2013.

The only USL Championship to go to overtime and a shootout was the 2011 edition, when Orlando City SC defeated the Harrisburg City Islanders 3-2, following a 2-2 score through regulation and overtime. Trinidadian forward Devorn Jorsling scored the winning PK for Orlando City.

Two goalkeepers have earned a shutout in the USL Championship. The Charleston Battery's Andrew Dykstra needed only one save to shut out Wilmington 1-0 in the 2012 title game and Sacramento Republic FC's Jake Gleeson had three saves during a 2-0 win against the Harrisburg City Islanders in 2014.

The combined 11 goals in the 2013 USL Championship, a 7-4 Orlando City SC win against the Charlotte Eagles, is also the most goals for any USL postseason match since 2011, and Orlando City's total for a single team is a postseason record.

USL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS:

2011: Orlando City SC 2, Harrisburg City Islanders 2 (Orlando City wins 3-2 in PK shootout) - Goal scoring: ORL - 89th min.: Lawrence Olum; HAR - 90+5: J.T. Noone; HAR - 95th min.: Noone; ORL - 116th min.: Lewis Neal (pk). MVP: Sean Kelly, ORL

2012: Charleston Battery 1, Wilmington Hammerheads FC 0 - Goal scoring: CHS - 74th min.: Michael Azira. MVP: Jose Cuevas, CHS

2013: Orlando City SC 7, Charlotte Eagles 4 - Goal scoring: CLT - 20th min.: Fejiro Okiomah; ORL - 33rd min.: Dom Dwyer; ORL - 42nd min.: Dwyer; CLT - 43rd min.: Christian Ramirez; CLT - 58th min.: Ramirez; ORL - 61st min.: Dwyer (pk); ORL - 69th min.: Dwyer; ORL - 70th min.: Dennis Chin; ORL - 85th min.: Adama Mbengue; CLT - 88th min.: Cuitlahuac Meza; ORL - 90th min.: Chin. MVP: Dom Dwyer, ORL

2014: Sacramento Republic FC 2, Harrisburg City Islanders 0 - Goal scoring: SAC - 36th min.: Octavio Guzman; SAC - 90+: Tommy Stewart. MVP: Rodrigo Lopez, SAC

2015 USL PLAYOFFS RESULTS AND SCHEDULE

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

Saturday, September 26

No. 3 Charleston Battery 2, No. 6 Richmond Kickers 1 (OT)

No. 4 New York Red Bulls II 4, No. 5 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2 (OT)

Western Conference Quarterfinals

Friday, September 25

No. 3 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC 2, No. 6 Seattle Sounders FC 2 0

Saturday, September 26

No. 5 LA Galaxy II 1, No. 4 Sacramento Republic FC 0

Eastern Conference Semifinals

Saturday, October 3

No. 1 Rochester Rhinos 2, No. 4 New York Red Bulls II 0

No. 2 Louisville City FC 2, No. 3 Charleston Battery 0 (OT)

Western Conference Semifinals

Saturday, October 3

No. 5 LA Galaxy II 2, No. 1 Orange County Blues FC 0

Sunday, October 4

No. 2 OKC Energy FC 2, No. 3 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC 2 (OKC wins 4-3 in shootout)

Eastern Conference Final

Saturday, October 10

No. 1 Rochester Rhinos 1, No. 2 Louisville City FC 0

Western Conference Final

Sunday, October 11

No. 5 LA Galaxy II 2, No. 2 OKC Energy FC 1

USL Championship

Friday, October 16

Rochester Rhinos vs. LA Galaxy II, 7:30 p.m. ET, Sahlen's Stadium; ESPN3

2015 USL PLAYOFFS LEADERS

Goals

1. Ariel Lassiter (LA), 3

2. Steevan dos Santos (ROC), 2

2. Matt Fondy (LOU), 2

2. Willie Hunt (PGH), 2

2. Karl Ouimette (NY), 2

6. 14 players tied with 1

Assists

1. Chandler Hoffman (COS), 2

1. Raul Mendiola (LA), 2

3. 13 players tied with 1

Points

1. Ariel Lassiter (LA), 6

2. Steevan dos Santos (ROC), 4

2. Matt Fondy (LOU), 4

2. Willie Hunt (PGH), 4

2. Karl Ouimette, (NY), 4

6. 16 players tied with 2

Goals-Against Average

1. Brandon Miller (ROC), 0.00

2. Clement Diop (LA), 0.33

3. Scott Goodwin (LOU), 0.43

4. Devala Gorrick (COS), 0.86

5. Dominik Jakubek (SAC), 1.00

Saves

1. Odisnel Cooper (CHS), 14

2. Clement Diop (LA), 10

3. Devala Gorrick (COS), 9

3. Evan Newton (OKC), 9

3. Ryan Taylor (RIC), 9

HOW TO FOLLOW

Every game of the 2015 USL season can be seen live, free and in HD on YouTube (www.Youtube.com/USL), with updates from throughout the league also available via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from October 15, 2015


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