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USL Rochester Rhinos

Unbeaten Rhinos Remain in First Place

May 30, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rochester Rhinos News Release


ROCHESTER, NY - The Rochester Rhinos defeated visiting FC Montreal 1:0 in Sahlen's Stadium on Saturday, May 30th 2015. Rhinos striker Steevan Humberto Fortes dos Santos scored the match winning goal in the ninth minute off of an assist from right midfielder Drew Ruggles. Goalkeeper Adam Grinwis started and played all 90 minutes to keep the clean sheet for Rochester.

Rochester head coach Bob Lilley rested five players he usually gives starts to as the Rhinos were playing their fifth match in 14 days. Goalkeeper Adam Grinwis started in place of Brandon Miller, Grant VandeCasteele and Julian Ringhof started at center back, Sean Totsch, Drew Ruggles, and Marcos Ugarte replaced Jonny Mendoza, Mike Garzi, and Kenardo Forbes in midfield, while Christian Volesky got a start up top. Volesky entered the match with four goals this season, and he scored all four against FC Montreal in the two sides previous two meetings.

The Rochester Rhinos opened the scoring in the ninth minute. Christian Volesky won a fifty-fifty ball from FC Montreal defender Zachary Sukunda at midfield, and headed the ball into the path of Rhinos onrushing midfielder Drew Ruggles. Ruggles slowed play down with a couple of touches before playing a through ball for Rochester striker Steevan Humberto Fortes dos Santos. Dos Santos latched onto Ruggles pass, and held off FC Montreal center backs Chakib-Nazim Hocine and Ngoufack Mélé Temguia before calmly finishing past goalkeeper Max Crépeau. The goal was dos Santos third in the last four league matches.

Two minutes later the Rhinos had a chance to double their advantage from a set piece. Central midfielder Sean Totsch took a free kick from 35 yards out on the left flank, and whipped the ball into the top of the FC Montreal six yard box. Mélé Temguia was first to the ball for the visitors, but was forced to awkwardly try to head the ball back toward his own goal. However, his goalkeeper Crépeau was there to touch the ball safely around the post.

The Rhinos took five corner kicks over the next 20 minutes, but were not able to double their advantage. However, one of the corner kicks created a significant talking point in the 21st minute. Sean Totsch played a corner kick from the left corner into the near post. Captain Tony Walls was making the near post run, and flicked the ball with a header into the back post where Onua Thomas Obasi was making his run. Obasi was being marked by Mélé Temguia, and he went to ground after there was apparent contact between the two. Head referee Vito Testa, Jr. waived play on after deciding that the contact was incidental.

Visiting FC Montreal gave the home side a stern warning in the 34th minute. Alessandro Riggi got in behind Rochester's center back pairing of VandeCasteele and Ringhof, and he was in on goal. The assistant referee raised his flag as goalkeeper Adam Grinwis was rushing off of his line to put pressure on Riggi. Testa, Jr. blew his whistle to stop play, and booked Riggi after learning that he used his hand to settle the through ball.

Three minutes later FC Montreal was booked again. This time dos Santos latched onto a thru ball on the left side of FC Montreal's penalty area. FC Montreal's Hocine was quickly out from his center back position to deal with the danger for the visitors, but his sliding tackle took dos Santos down just outside the penalty area. In the midst of appeals from both sides, Testa, Jr. issued Hocine a yellow card, and gave the Rhinos a free kick 15 yards out from the visitors goal on the left side of the box. Totsch drove the ball into the near post where Ruggles dummied the ball thru on goal, but Crépeau was there to make a reflex save for FC Montreal.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors in the 46th minute. FC Montreal played a long ball down the right flank to open the second half, and Rhinos left back Obasi was first to the fifty-fifty ball. Obasi jumped to head the ball when Fabio Morelli arrived late on the scene for FC Montreal to challenge Obasi for the ball. It appeared that Morelli made contact with the midsection of Obasi who went down to the turf. Head referee Testa, Jr. showed Morelli a straight red card, and left the visitors to battle back from down a man and down a goal for the rest of the second half.

The Rhinos looked to take advantage seven minutes later. Dos Santos received a long ball at midfield, and he played a one-two with his strike partner Christian Volesky that put dos Santos through. Dos Santos was in on the goal of Max Crépeau, but Crépeau came off of his line to cut down the angle for dos Santos shot. As a result the Rhinos striker just missed a delicate finishing attempt to the far post.

The home side had another chance to double their advantage in the 58th minute. Rhinos center back Julian Ringhof played a long ball down the right flank. Ruggles and dos Santos were both making runs, and dos Santos touched the ball wide to Ruggles. Ruggles dribbled the ball to the end line before cutting it back on his favored left foot. Ruggles played the ball back to Walls at the top of the box. The Rhinos captain received Ruggles' pass, took a second touch, and then served a perfectly weighted ball into the far post. Volesky got on the end of Walls' service and flashed a header on target, but Crépeau was there to dive and parry the ball over the crossbar.

Play slowed down during the last half hour of the match as both teams used the maximum five substitutions allowed in USL play. The Rhinos had seven corner kicks in the last 30 minutes of the match, and one of the set pieces created the last opportunity of the match for the home side. Substitute Jonny Mendoza served a ball into the box from the right corner in the 86th minute, and found the head of Walls at the top of the six yard box. Walls put his header on target, but Crépeau was there to make the save once again.

FC Montreal had the chance to take a point in the 88th minute. The visitors played a long ball into the top of the Rhinos penalty area where Ringhof, substitute center back Apostolopoulos, FC Montreal substitute Victor Omar Ndiaye, and Grinwis all converged. Grinwis jumped bravely and held the ball, but head referee Testa, Jr. ruled that Ndiaye fouled Grinwis and showed him a yellow card to end the threat.

The victory leaves Rochester with 25 points from a 7 - 0 - 4 record. The Rhinos are top of the USL Eastern Conference, and have the most points in the 24 team USL.

The Rhinos return to Rochester in their next USL match on Saturday, June 13 th 2015 in Sahlen's Stadium at 7:05PM against Louisville City FC. Single game tickets to the match are currently on sale and can be purchased by calling (585)454-KICK (5425), online via Ticketmaster, or by visiting the MVP Health Care Box Office at Sahlen's Stadium during business hours.

Rochester Rhinos season tickets, flex packages, and group sales tickets are also currently on sale and can be purchased by calling (585)454-KICK (5425), online via Ticketmaster, or by visiting the MVP Health Care Box Office at Sahlen's Stadium during business hours.ate on all the latest news.



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