Riverhounds Return Home Looking For First Win Of Season

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Pittsburgh Riverhounds return home Saturday night to face the New York Red Bulls II at 7 p.m., still looking to find their first win of the young season.

There are signs though that the team is starting to come together and confidence is growing after what can be seen as a successful road trip.

Pittsburgh is 0-2-3 after coming off of back to back draws in Louisville and Charleston respectively. The Hounds sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, but the players are very loose and are not letting the slow start affect the mood in the locker room.

The team took part in a crossbar challenge Friday morning at Highmark Stadium. It's a popular way for soccer teams around the world to have fun at the end of training.

Although still winless, the Hounds do seem to have built a little momentum coming off their recent road trip in which they gained two valuable points in the standings.

Going into the trip off a disappointing home loss to Orlando, slow starts of years past could have crept into the team's head. Facing two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference and the prospect of starting the season 0-4-1, the Hounds were resilient, in earning those two hard fought draws.

The two games were very similar in that Pittsburgh opened the scoring in both through goals from striker Romeo Parkes. He is the team's leading scorer and has a cool touch and the ability to weave through defenders in the attacking areas.

Both games though saw Pittsburgh lose its lead in various fashions.

Against Louisville, the Hounds defense held strong under pressure, leading 2-1 into stoppage time after a second half goal from Corey Hertzog. The hosts found the equalizer in the dying stages of the game from a Conor Shanosky rebound goal and the midweek affair ended level at 2-2.

In Charleston the following Saturday, the Riverhounds lost their lead early in the second half and held on to the bitter end, absorbing wave after wave of Battery pressure. Charleston is nearly impossible to beat at home, so walking away with point is a job well done.

In the end, yes it is disappointing not to get wins, but avoiding losses in both games could prove massive by season's end.

The game in Charleston also saw the welcome return of Kevin Kerr, who had missed the majority of the last three games for various reasons. Kerr was not able to travel to Toronto due to VISA issues, and then in the following contest with Orlando, he was sent off with an early red card. The red card meant Kerr would be suspended for the game in Louisville.

The Hounds now look to New York, who knocked them out of the USL playoffs in the first round last fall.

The Red Bulls II look to be a strong side again, with a 3-1-2 record and sitting fourth in the Eastern Conference. It will be a tough contest, but the Hounds look to be coming together after many off-season changes and are poised to get their first victory this Saturday night at home.

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The game will kick off at Highmark Stadium in Station Square at 7 p.m.