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USL Rochester Rhinos

Undefeated Rochester Rhinos Face Pittsburgh on Hall of Fame Night this Saturday

June 25, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rochester Rhinos News Release


Rochester, NY - The Rochester Rhinos return home to Sahlen's Stadium this Saturday, June 27 to take on their long-time rivals the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in a United Soccer League (USL) match with kickoff scheduled for 7:05 pm. The Rhinos are holding their fifth annual Hall of Fame Night on Saturday, with former executive Chris Economides, all time postseason scoring leader Darren Tilley and four time champion defender Mali Walton being honored at halftime. Walton and Tilley are being inducted into the Rhinos Hall of Fame for the second time, as they were enshrined in 2013 as members of the Rhinos' 1999 US Open Cup winning team.

The Rhinos are currently top of the table overall in the 24-team USL with an 8-0-5 record (29 points) and have allowed a league-low five goals. Rochester is perfect at home (4-0-0, zero goals allowed). The Riverhounds are sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 5-4-4 record for 19 points with a league high 28 goals and having scored in all 13 matches this season.

The Rhinos' defense is led by fourth year keeper Brandon Miller, who leads the USL with a 0.35 goals against average and five and a half shutouts in eight and one half matches played. Offensively, the Rhinos are paced by Christian Volesky with five goals and one assist, Steevan Dos Santos with four goals (all in his last six USL matches) and Alex Dixon with 3 goals. Pittsburgh's Ken Vincent is the USL's leading scorer with nine goals and four assists, with Kevin Kerr standing fourth in the USL with six goals and five assists. Another key contributor for the Riverhounds is former Rhino Danny Earls, who has three goals and two assists this season.

This is second match between the Rhinos and Riverhounds this season. Back on April 4, Rochester handed Pittsburgh their only loss at Highmark Stadium this season, winning 2-1. Rhinos captain Tony Walls put home a beautiful 20 yard free kick in the 28th minute for a 1-0 halftime lead. Pittsburgh equalized in minute 49 with Max Touloute chipping over Miller off a feed from Earls, but just 3 minutes later, Rochester took the lead for good as Dixon volleyed home Onua Obasi's cross from close range for the final margin of victory. The two teams will meet for the third and final time on September 16 in Pittsburgh in the second to last match of the season.

In their last USL match on June 19, the Rhinos, who were playing in their third match in seven days, came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw against host Harrisburg. The home side took the lead 2 minutes before halftime as Jason Plumhoff beat keeper Adam Grinwis assisted by Enric Valles. The City Islanders held that single goal advantage until the 87th minute when substitute Volesky took a feed from Walls on the left of the penalty area and tucked the ball into the far corner for the equalizer to keep the Rhinos undefeated in 2015.

The Riverhounds took home all three points in their last match on June 20 at home against FC Montreal, winning 1-0 on Kerr's 79th minute goal set up by Vincent. The shutout was the first this season for Pittsburgh.

Walton and Tilley will be two of the more than 30 former Rhino players and coaches competing in the first ever Rhinos Legends match to be held at Sahlen's Stadium starting at 4:30 pm on Hall of Fame Night. The teams will be coached by Hall of Famers Frank Odoi ('14) and Francisco Escos ('14), who were the assistants under Rhinos Hall of Fame head coach Pat Ercoli ('14). The captains of the teams Hall of Famers Craig Demmin ('12) and Billy Andracki ('13) and will play in the match with fellow inductees Lenin Steenkamp ('11), Doug Miller ('12) and 1999 US Open Cup winning team members Joe Mercik, Andrew Restrepo, Bill Sedgewick and Carlos Zavala ('13). In addition, 12 former Section V athletes who were members of the Rhinos will compete in the Legends match.

The jerseys worn by the Legends players, along with selected additional Rhinos Legends jerseys, will be auctioned off during Hall of Fame Night with the proceeds to benefit the American Diabetes Association. The player uniforms are from Italian outfitter Givova and are provided courtesy of Karis Sports in East Rochester. Jerseys can be purchased in the auction using cash, credit or check onsite on the day of the game.

The Rhinos Hall of Fame started in 2011 with initial inductee Steenkamp. Other Hall of Fame members who are unable to attend Saturday's match are Pat Onstad ('12), Yari Allnutt ('13), Scott Vallow ('13), Scott Schweitzer ('14) and Tommy Tanner ('14), each of which have a Legends jersey auctioned off on Hall of Fame night.

Tickets for all Rhinos home matches, including flex packages, and group sales tickets, are also currently on sale and can be purchased by calling (585)454-KICK (5425), online via Ticketmaster, by visiting the MVP Health Care Box Office at Sahlen's Stadium during business hours or by visiting rhinossoccer.com.



United Soccer League Championship Stories from June 25, 2015


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