Single Goal Sends Hounds to Defeat in Colorado
May 17, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds came up empty on a Western road trip after a Matt Mahoney goal was the difference in giving the Colorado Springs Switchbacks a 1-0 win tonight at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Mahoney scored in the 12th minute with a header set up by an Aidan Rocha free kick for the Switchbacks (2-3-5). It was the first goal allowed by the Hounds (2-5-2) after consecutive clean sheets last week.
The match was the second of four straight road matches for the Hounds and their sixth road game in the past eight overall.
First half
The only goal came on the first good chance of the match for either team. Rocha teed up the free kick wide on the left side and hit a high ball all the way across goal. Mahoney got free with a fading run at the back post, and his header went back across goal and into the net.
The Hounds sprung to life after conceding, and had a dangerous moment of their own when Robbie Mertz crossed the ball from the left across goal. Perrin Barnes headed the ball back across the face of goal, but his return pass was just behind a pair of Hounds runners and the Switchbacks cleared.
Hounds goalie Eric Dick came up with a diving stop to parry away a shot by Zach Zandi late in the first half, and Switchbacks goalie Christian Herrera made his first save of the match minutes later when Danny Griffin turned a Mertz free kick on net with his head.
Second half
Another Mertz free kick provided the first chance of the second half, as his ball in from the right was met by Sean Suber's head. Suber's effort was wide of the goal and slightly too far for Griffin to get a boot to it and redirect it on frame.
Chaos ensued in the Switchbacks' box in the 85th minute when Griffin redirected a ball high toward goal with his head. Herrera came off his line but got caught in no-man's land, leading the Hounds to frantically try to find an open shooting line. The ball eventually came to Jason Bouregy at the top of the box, but Herrera was able to get a hand to the shot standing 15 yards from his goal.
A minute later, Jorge Garcia turned the corner along the goal line and picked out Mertz with a low pass across goal, but Mertz's shot rose over the goal.
Neither team threatened often in the second half - the Switchbacks' only shot on goal after the break was a mis-hit effort by Justin Dhillon that was saved by Dick - and total shots for the game finished at 9-6.
Modelo Man of the Match
Robbie Mertz was active in the attack and did his part to generate scoring chances. He finished the match with a team-high six crosses, a chance created and a 10-for-11 passing rate in the final third, and he topped that off winning 4 of 6 duels.
What's next?
The Hounds turn their attention back to the U.S. Open Cup with a cross-state Round of 16 battle Wednesday, May 21 against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park in Chester, Pa. It will be the first-ever meeting between the Hounds and Union.
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