The 2018 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC season was the club's nineteenth season of existence, and their eighth consecutive season in the United Soccer League, the second tier of American soccer. Pittsburgh also competed in the U.S. Open Cup. The season covered the period from October 15, 2017, to the beginning of the 2019 USL season.
Bob Lilley took charge of his first season as Riverhounds manager, jumping over from Rochester Rhinos after that club went on hiatus. In his 20th season as a professional manager, Lilley continued a personal record of his teams never failing to qualify for their respective playoffs.
Pittsburgh finished in third place in the Eastern Conference, the club's best regular season performance since 2010, and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in three years. The Riverhounds were eliminated in the conference quarterfinals by Bethlehem Steel FC, who prevailed after an eight-round penalty shootout. Pittsburgh won a game in the U.S. Open Cup for the first time in three years, prevailing against Erie Commodores in the second round. However, the club was knocked out in the third round by fellow USL side FC Cincinnati.
Roster
No. Name Nationality Position(s) Date of birth (age) Signed in Previous club Apps Goals Goalkeepers 1 Kyle Morton GK 2018 Rochester Rhinos 3 0 22 Mike Kirk GK 2018 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 8 0 29 Nathan Ingham GK 2018 Calgary Foothills 0 0 33 Daniel Lynd GK 2018 Rochester Rhinos 27 0 Defenders 2 Tobi Adewole DF 2017 George Washington Colonials 41 1 3 Raymond Lee DF 2018 Rochester Rhinos 31 0 5 Jordan Dover DF 2018 Rochester Rhinos 33 2 6 Hugh Roberts DF 2018 Bethlehem Steel FC 29 2 16 Andrew Lubahn DF 2018 San Francisco Deltas 20 1 20 Joseph Greenspan DF 2018 Minnesota United FC 34 3 23 Todd Pratzner DF 2018 Rochester Rhinos 18 0 Midfielders 4 Joe Holland MF 2018 Houston Dynamo 17 0 7 Christiano François MF 2018 Rochester Rhinos 35 4 8 Bakie Goodman MF 2018 Detroit City 3 0 10 Kevin Kerr MF 2013 SC Wiedenbrück 167 27 11 Kenardo Forbes MF 2018 Rochester Rhinos 35 4 13 Ben Zemanski MF 2018 Portland Timbers 25 3 14 Noah Franke MF 2018 Creighton Bluejays 10 0 21 Mouhamed Dabo MF 2018 Harrisburg City Islanders 25 1 25 Thomas Vancaeyezeele MF 2018 Charleston Golden Eagles 35 3 44 Ben Fitzpatrick MF 2017 Ohio State Buckeyes 13 1 Forwards 9 Neco Brett FW 2018 Portland Timbers 2 36 15 15 Dennis Chin FW 2018 Ironi Nesher 6 1 17 Kay Banjo FW 2017 UMBC Retrievers 34 4 27 Romeo Parkes FW 2017 Isidro Metapán 58 13
Preseason The Riverhounds released their preseason schedule on January 29, 2018. The club played nine games in just over a month, seven coming against collegiate programs and two against fellow USL teams. All nine games were played in the state of Pennsylvania, seven at home and two on the road.
Competitions
USL
Standings
Results summary
Results by round
Match results In August 2017, the USL announced that the 2018 season would span 34 games, the longest regular season the league had ever run. The augmented schedule was spurred by the addition of six new clubs for the 2018 season: Atlanta United 2, Fresno FC, Indy Eleven, Las Vegas Lights, Nashville SC, and North Carolina FC.
On January 12, 2018, the league announced home openers for every club. Pittsburgh began the season on the road against expansion club Nashville SC, taking part in the first match in that club's history. The Riverhounds then played their home opener against Penn FC, the first time since 2015 that Pittsburgh opened its home slate with a Keystone Derby Cup match.
The schedule for the remainder of the 2018 season was released on January 19, 2018. Pittsburgh played three times against four different clubs: Penn FC, FC Cincinnati, Indy Eleven, and Toronto FC II. They played every other Eastern Conference team twice.
Postseason
U.S. Open Cup
Statistics
Appearances and goals Kevin Kerr entered the season among the top 10 in club history for both appearances and goals. He was third in appearances, needing to play 17 times this season to pass Gary DePalma for second all-time. He was also tied with José Angulo for sixth all-time in goals, and needed three to pass Phil Karn for fifth place in the club's history. On July 4, Kerr hit both of those marks, with the Riverhounds' victory over North Carolina FC marking his seventeenth appearance and third goal in all competitions on the year.
No. Pos. Name USL USL Playoffs U.S. Open Cup Total Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals 1 GK Kyle Morton30000030 2 DF Tobi Adewole2410020261 3 DF Raymond Lee2801020310 4 MF Joe Holland1401020170 5 DF Jordan Dover3021020332 6 DF Hugh Roberts2611120292 7 MF Christiano François3241020354 8 MF Bakie Goodman20001030 9 FW Neco Brett331510203615 10 MF Kevin Kerr2021011223 11 MF Kenardo Forbes3341010354 13 MF Ben Zemanski2421100253 14 MF Noah Franke800020100 15 FW Dennis Chin50001161 16 DF Andrew Lubahn1810020201 17 FW Kay Banjo1311000141 20 DF Joseph Greenspan2331000243 21 MF Mouhamed Dabo2411000251 22 GK Mike Kirk70001080 23 DF Todd Pratzner1700010180 25 MF Thomas Vancaeyezeele3321011353 27 FW Romeo Parkes2551010275 29 GK Nathan Ingham00000000 33 GK Daniel Lynd2501010270 44 MF Ben Fitzpatrick31000031Players who left the club during the season: 12 DF Connor Maloney20000020
Disciplinary record No. Pos. Name USL USL Playoffs U.S. Open Cup Total 2 DF Tobi Adewole10000010 3 DF Raymond Lee21000021 4 MF Joe Holland00010001 5 DF Jordan Dover40100050 6 DF Hugh Roberts30100040 7 MF Christiano François20000020 9 FW Neco Brett10000010 10 MF Kevin Kerr30000030 11 MF Kenardo Forbes00100010 13 MF Ben Zemanski20000020 16 DF Andrew Lubahn30002050 20 DF Joseph Greenspan30000030 21 MF Mouhamed Dabo30000030 23 MF Todd Pratzner30000030 25 MF Thomas Vancaeyezeele60000060 27 FW Romeo Parkes20000020
Clean sheets No. Name USL USL Playoffs U.S. Open Cup Total Games Played 1 Kyle Morton30033 22 Mike Kirk20028 29 Nathan Ingham00000 33 Daniel Lynd12001227
Transfers
In Pos.PlayerTransferred fromFee/notesDateSource MF Christiano François Rochester Rhinos One-year contract with a club option for 2019. December 15, 2017 DF Raymond Lee Rochester Rhinos One-year contract with a club option for 2019. December 15, 2017 DF Jordan Dover Rochester Rhinos One-year contract with a club option for 2019. December 19, 2017 GK Daniel Lynd Rochester Rhinos One-year contract with a club option for 2019. December 19, 2017 MF Kenardo Forbes Rochester Rhinos One-year contract with a club option for 2019. December 21, 2017 DF Joseph Greenspan Minnesota United FC One-year contract with a club option for 2019. January 12, 2018 GK Mike Kirk Rio Grande Valley FC One-year contract with a club option for 2019. January 26, 2018 GK Kyle Morton Rochester Rhinos One-year contract with a club option for 2019. January 26, 2018 FW Dennis Chin Ironi Nesher One-year contract with a club option for 2019. February 23, 2018 FW Neco Brett Portland Timbers 2 One-year contract with a club option for 2019. February 27, 2018 MF Mouhamed Dabo Harrisburg City Islanders One-year contract with a club option for 2019. February 27, 2018 MF Bakie Goodman Detroit City One-year contract with a club option for 2019. February 27, 2018 MF Joe Holland Houston Dynamo One-year contract with a club option for 2019. February 27, 2018 MF Ben Zemanski Portland Timbers One-year contract with a club option for 2019. March 5, 2018 DF Todd Pratzner Rochester Rhinos One-year contract with a club option for 2019. March 7, 2018 DF Hugh Roberts Bethlehem Steel FC One-year contract with a club option for 2019. March 7, 2018 MF Thomas Vancaeyezeele Charleston Golden Eagles One-year contract with a club option for 2019. March 14, 2018 DF Andrew Lubahn San Francisco Deltas One-year contract with a club option for 2019. March 22, 2018 MF Noah Franke Creighton Bluejays One-year contract with a club option for 2019. March 28, 2018 GK Nathan Ingham Calgary Foothills Signed for the remainder of the 2018 season with a club option for 2019. July 25, 2018
Loan in Pos.PlayerParent clubLength/NotesBeginningEndSource DF Connor Maloney Columbus Crew SC On a match-by-match basis. May 25, 2018 June 30, 2018
Out Pos.PlayerTransferred toFee/notesDateSource DF Ryan Adeleye Atlantic City FC Contract expired. Signed for Atlantic City on March 5, 2018. November 30, 2017 DF Gale Agbossoumonde Contract expired. November 30, 2017 GK Brenden Alfery Contract expired. Retired. November 30, 2017 DF Rich Balchan Atlantic City FC Contract expired. Signed for Atlantic City on March 2, 2018. November 30, 2017 GK Keasel Broome Contract option declined. November 30, 2017 DF Shane Campbell Lansdowne Bhoys Contract option declined. Signed for Lansdowne on March 19, 2018. November 30, 2017 DF Ritchie Duffie Lionsbridge FC Contract option declined. Signed for Lionsbridge in 2018. November 30, 2017 MF Danny Earls Contract expired. November 30, 2017 MF Michael Green Contract option declined. November 30, 2017 FW Corey Hertzog Saint Louis FC Contract expired. Signed for Saint Louis on December 11, 2017. November 30, 2017 MF Kenroy Howell Grand Rapids FC Contract option declined. Signed for Grand Rapids on March 27, 2018. November 30, 2017 DF Jamal Jack Colorado Springs Switchbacks Contract option declined. Signed for Colorado Springs on January 24, 2018. November 30, 2017 GK Trey Mitchell Contract option declined. Retired. November 30, 2017 MF Stephen Okai Contract expired. Retired. November 30, 2017 GK Matt Perrella Atlantic City FC Contract expired. Signed for Atlantic City on March 18, 2018. November 30, 2017 MF Victor Souto Atlantic City FC Contract option declined. Signed for Atlantic City on March 6, 2018. November 30, 2017 MF Jack Thompson Contract expired. Retired. November 30, 2017 DF Nick Thompson Contract expired. November 30, 2017 DF Taylor Washington Nashville SC Contract option declined. Signed for Nashville on December 7, 2017. November 30, 2017 FW Chevaughn Walsh Saint Louis Club Atletico No longer listed on roster. Signed for Saint Louis in 2018. January 26, 2018
Awards
USL Team of the Week WeekStartersBenchOpponent(s)Link 4 Neco Brett Toronto FC II 5 Tobi Adewole Ottawa Fury FC 6 Thomas Vancaeyezeele FC Cincinnati 7 Tobi Adewole Christiano François Atlanta United 2 8 Neco Brett Kevin Kerr Toronto FC II 9 Jordan Dover Indy Eleven 10 Romeo Parkes Tampa Bay Rowdies 11 Daniel Lynd Penn FC 12 Neco Brett Nashville SCRichmond Kickers 14 Neco Brett New York Red Bulls II 15 Hugh Roberts Charleston Battery 16 Kenardo Forbes Louisville City 17 Joseph Greenspan Christiano François North Carolina FCOttawa Fury FC 21 Neco Brett Hugh Roberts Daniel Lynd Richmond KickersToronto FC II 22 Neco Brett Bethlehem Steel FC 25 Joseph Greenspan Indy ElevenFC Cincinnati 26 Kenardo Forbes Bethlehem Steel FC 28 Ben Zemanski Indy Eleven 29 Hugh Roberts Penn FCCharlotte Independence 30 Joseph Greenspan FC Cincinnati
USL Player of the Week WeekPlayerOpponent(s)Link 4 Neco Brett Toronto FC II 21 Neco Brett Richmond KickersToronto FC II
Postseason USL All-League Teams DF Joseph Greenspan – First Team MF Kenardo Forbes – Second Team
Kits
Type Shirt Shorts Socks First appearance / Record HomeGoldBlackGoldMatch 1 vs. Nashville / 9–6–3 AwayBlack/GrayBlackBlackMatch 10 vs. Penn / 2–3–1 ThirdWhiteWhiteWhiteMatch 8 vs. Indy / 5–6–2
See also 2018 in American soccer 2018 USL season
References