The Pittsburgh Riverhounds have quite the dynamic duo with midfielders Kevin Kerr and Rob Vincent. While the Riverhounds [2-3-3] record may not reflect how the team has played at times this year, Vincent and Kerr have carried the offense to this point.
Vincent and Kerr alone account for 60% of the Hounds total points, last year they combined for only 14%. The season is still young and that 60% will come down, but it is clear that these two players have the ability to alter the outcome of a game.
Kerr made his first appearance in Pittsburgh a few years ago in 2013. He has played in 55 games and scored nine goals, four of them coming in this young season. Kerr may not be flashy or score boatloads of goals, but he has a knack to pass open his teammates and get the ball to players who have a chance at scoring. Having a selfless person like Kerr on the team is essential for any team.
Vincent, who also became a Hound in 2013, has made 59 appearances and has scored 12 goals; six of them notched this season. Although Vincent does a good job of passing the ball, his ability to boot balls past the keeper is something the Riverhounds have struggled with over the last few seasons.
Vincent also leads the team in shots on goal (12) and shot on goal percentage (70%) which adds to the importance of having him on this team.
Last season, the Riverhounds didn’t see their first win until June 7th. Their record at that point: 1-6-4. Pittsburgh may not be at the top of the standings, yet, but there have been games where the Riverhounds offense looks in perfect sync.
Of course, there are other players like keeper Ryan Thompson who have stepped up and greatly contributed to the success thus far. However, if you compare this season to last, the difference has been the more Vincent and Kerr produce, the more the Riverhounds win.
The unfortunate part of this season is that the Riverhounds have not finished games. The defense has given up balls in bad places that have led to the Hounds drawing or losing games in which they led. If the defense is able to clamp down and make their opponents earn each shot, expect to see the win total rise.
For the Riverhounds to get better and be a serious contender, they need more production from other players. Tyler Pasher and Vinny Dantas are two players who have been more integrated into the offense as the season goes on with the help of Vincent and Kerr distributing the ball.
Vincent and Kerr are the pair of players every team wishes they had. It is true that one these players could move up to bigger and better things. Both of these players are still young and have plenty of fuel in the tank which may be what is preventing them from getting an opportunity to play for more premier teams. Vincent, 24 and Kerr, 26 are vocal leaders on the Hounds and have more to do if they want to make it up the ranks.
If Vincent and Kerr were to leave the team, it would be heartbreaking for Hounds fans. They are players who are becoming the face of the team, but watching them on the field and seeing their flashes of brilliance only proves that they are destined for something bigger. Whether that is with Riverhounds in the future is yet to be determined, but it would be very surprising if they didn’t get the opportunity to play for upper echelon teams.
The Riverhounds are on the road tonight, where the will face the Richmond Kickers at 7:00 p.m.
Photo credit: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
