The Pittsburgh Riverhounds ended their 2016 season the same way they started it: with a loss. The Riverhounds finished their season with a 6-17-7 record. Five out of their six wins came under head coach Dave Brandt, who took the reins after nine games. The team started the season with Mark Steffens as head coach, but he was fired when the Riverhounds lost to the Lansdowne Bhoys in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Meanwhile, Brandt led the team to five wins, four more draws and plenty of ... Read More
Riverhounds top Hammerheads 4-1
Last season, Pittsburgh Riverhounds defender Willie Hunt scored two goals — his only two of the season — in the final game. This year, Hunt didn’t have to wait that long to net his first goal. Wednesday night, he scored the second goal of the evening against the Wilmington Hammerheads. It was the second of four goals for Pittsburgh, who beat the Hammerheads by a 4-1 final, the same score as the last time these two teams met. While the scores were the same, the goals were much ... Read More
Riverhounds fall to Richmond Kickers in rain-delayed match
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds might not have consistency in net with the rotation of Mauricio Vargas and Hunter Gilstrap, but there is one thing that stays constant: It always rains when the Riverhounds have a home game. Against the Richmond Kickers on Thursday night, that didn’t change. And neither did the outcome; the Riverhounds (2-10-4) lost 2-0. The first of three consecutive home games for the Riverhounds was delayed two hours due to a power outage in Station Square, PA (where Highmark ... Read More
Pittsburgh Riverhounds fall to Bethlehem Steel FC, 2-0
Yet another change at the goalkeeper position didn’t help head coach Dave Brandt and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds get their second win under Brandt. Sunday, the Riverhounds traveled to Bethlehem, PA to face the Bethlehem Steel FC, and the Steel FC defeated the Riverhounds, 2-0. The Riverhounds used the game to make some more changes to last week’s starting defensive lineup. It was the second game in a row that defender Willie Hunt didn’t start. Starting in his place at left back was Ryan ... Read More
Riverhounds: Why is there no consistency on defense?
This season, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds’ biggest problem seems to be finding the back of their opponent's net. But there's another big problem that the team faces, and it has to do with the starting lineup. Under former head coach Mark Steffens, there was some consistency with his starting eleven. Now, under head coach Dave Brandt, the lineup seems to change almost constantly. Since Brandt has been the head coach, only once have the Riverhounds (2-8-3) had the same goalkeeper in ... Read More
Riverhounds fall to Rochester Rhinos, 2-1
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds went back to the losing column Saturday night against the Rochester Rhinos. A week after the team’s 2-1 win over FC Montreal, the Riverhounds fell to the Rhinos 2-1 at the Rhinos' home, Sahlen’s Stadium. The Rhinos got on the board first and early with Joseph Farrell’s goal in the 8’ minute. The Riverhounds had some early attempts from midfielder Danny Earls, who made his Riverhounds debut this season against the Rhinos, and midfielder Kevin Kerr, but none went ... Read More
COLUMN: Riverhounds might need to switch up defense
Last Saturday, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds made the decision to switch up the goalkeeper position. The Riverhounds didn’t get a win out of it, but things look promising with Mauricio Vargas in goal. However, goalkeeper might not be the only position that needs changing — the defense might, too. The Riverhounds can’t solely depend on their goalkeeper for a clean sheet. As the back line, the defense plays a major role to help Vargas (or even Hunter Gilstrap, depending on who head ... Read More
Three things we’ve learned from the Riverhounds’ start to the season
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds haven’t exactly started their season the way they’d like. This season, the Riverhounds have lost two matches and have drawn once. (Most of the other USL teams have played four or five matches, but the Riverhounds’ match against the Harrisburg City Islanders was rescheduled to July 4 because of snow.) The Riverhounds lost 1-0 in their home opener on April 2 to the Rochester Rhinos, the defending USL champions. However, the next week, the team drew against Toronto ... Read More
Riverhounds players, coaches suspended
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds [5-5-4] will face the New York Red Bulls II [6-5-4] in an important match with playoff implications on Saturday evening at Highmark Stadium, and they will do so with less than a full side. Defender Willie Hunt, midfielder Danny Earls, head coach Mark Steffens and assistant coach Niko Katic will all miss Saturday’s match while serving one-game suspensions handed down by the United Soccer League on Wednesday. All of the suspensions are as a result of actions taken ... Read More
Hounds lose on controversial PK in rain-soaked contest
The Rochester Rhinos [8-0-5] hosted the Pittsburgh Riverhounds [5-4-4] in a game that featured more water than goals on Saturday night. The evening's offensive struggle marked the fifth straight game where the Hounds scored one goal or fewer and they lost, 1-0. The first half featured no goals, as teams were struggling more with the layer of water on the field more so than their opponents. With players sliding and splashing along the way, fans could see the difficulty in both goalies trying ... Read More