Riverhounds Notebook: Pittsburgh’s ‘always felt like home’ for former Pitt Panthers Edward Kizza, Bertin Jacquesson and Jackson Walti who each add unique dimension to roster

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC spent much of the week in their usual routine, preparing and training for a home Saturday match, following a schedule with training sessions on Monday and Tuesday before a mid-week optional workout day.

Overall, the team is in good form and high spirits, coming off a successful trip to Florida, where they disposed of last place The Miami FC, 4-0. The Hounds are now heading into a final stretch of three matches where they’ll likely have to win out to have a chance to secure a spot in USL Cup Playoffs for the seventh straight season.

The Hounds should have two players who were out last week, veteran midfielder Kenardo Forbes and goalkeeper Eric Dick, back and available for selection.

As the teams in front of the Hounds burned through their games in hand midweek, the task they face became clearer. The Hounds sit in 10th place, trailing Birmingham and North Carolina by three points for the final postseason spots in the Eastern Conference.

Ninth-place Loudoun remains in the mix, a point behind eighth, and all four of those teams now have three matches remaining.

Check out our latest, USL Championship Playoff Race Update here… 

USL Championship Playoff Race Update: North Carolina FC moves ahead of Riverhounds and others with three weeks to go

For the Hounds, that means getting something from Saturday’s match is vital with next week’s match at Loudoun setting up to be a potential elimination game for both teams. And though the Battery have been the league’s toughest team to beat with only five losses in 2024, the Hounds were up to the challenge in June when they took a 0-0 draw in South Carolina in the teams’ first meeting of the year — and XXth overall.

Former Pitt Panthers Providing Added Dimensions To Hounds Lineup

Leading the way last weekend with all four goals were a pair of former Pitt standouts, Edward Kizza and Bertin Jacquesson.

Jacquesson, who made his fourth straight start since returning to Pittsburgh on loan from MLS’ Real Salt Lake, impressed with his first-ever pro hat trick — earning USL Championship Player of the Week honors.

It’s Kizza who remains the club’s most consistent forward this season.

There’s also a third former Panther on the Riverhounds roster — midfielder Jackson Walti.

While Walti didn’t crack the starting lineup in the Hounds win at Miami, Hounds Head Coach praised Walti last week really coming on strong in the second half of the season.  Walti started the first four matches, then was relegated to getting very little time or spot time here and there, until late June, when he’s been in the starting lineup for most matches since (overall, Walti has started 18 of 21 matches he’s appeared this season), even scoring a pair of goals.

It was Walti who once wore the captain’s armband on teams that fielded both Kizza and Jacquesson at Pitt.

Only a few months ago, when Walti was a guest on Sounding Off on Soccer podcast, he shared about the bond that exists between many of the former Pitt players who are currently in the pros.

Now, again three of them on are on the same team.

With the Pitt trio, the Riverhounds may be USL Championship’s version of the ‘Nova Knicks (NBA’s New York Knicks have three former Villanova players who were part of their National Championship squads)

“We talk a lot. Sometimes when we do, we say ‘wouldn’t it be nice to run it back’,” Walti said.

“It was a special group we had, and a lot of us would love to overlap on different squads in the future.”  

Believe it or not, this is the first time that Jacquesson and Kizza have played together.

Kizza played his last season at Pitt in 2019, but left before the start of the 2020 season to pursue his professional soccer career.  That’s when Jacquesson first showed up a Pitt, where as a freshman, had a significant impact on a team that would quickly ascend into No. 1 ranking status, and eventually make run to the men’s soccer program’s first-ever NCAA Men’s College Cup.

“This is home. Coming from Pitt, Pittsburgh has always been home to us,” Kizza said.

Like Jacquesson, Kizza was brought to Pittsburgh at midseason in 2022 on loan from a Major League Soccer club (New England Revolution).

Asked if he had any advice to give Jacquesson when he first arrived with the Riverhounds, he touched on the importance of putting in the work.

“Since Bertin’s been here, it’s been about learning how Bob wants things to be done.  He can be demanding. If you think you did good, you can always do better,” Kizza said.

Kizza recognized that even though the team has been in relatively good form, with just one loss in the past 13 matches, they can’t afford any more slip-ups with the margin for error being so razor thin.

“At this stage of the season, every game is going to be a grind,” Kizza stated.

“We’ve had a good run of form, but right now, it’s do-or-die for us. Everyone knows what’s at stake.

Kizza continued a strong run of late that has secured his place as the team’s leading scorer, first with his dominance against Birmingham, scoring his eighth goal of the season (Kizza has scored three against Legion FC).

“It’s a team effort. I’ve taken a leadership role with the forward group and I’ve been lucky to get into positions to score,” Kizza said.

“Hopefully I can get a couple more this year, and get into double digit (goals), but ultimately, at the end of the day, its about doing all the little things, leaving it out there for the team.”

Gabriel Perrotta joins Jacquesson Earns Team of Week honors.

In addition to Jacquesson named the USL Championship Player of the Week,

This is the third time in 2024 a Hounds player has been named Player of the Week, after Edward Kizza (Week 7) and Junior Etou (Week 19) also took the top weekly honor, and only the second time since the award’s inception that three different Hounds players have earned it in the same season. (2019 — Steevan Dos Santos, Neco Brett, Kenardo Forbes)

Joining Jacquesson on the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 31 is Hounds goalkeeper Gabriel Perrotta, who like Jacquesson, is making his first appearance in the league’s best 11.

Perrotta made four saves in the shutout win over Miami, as the first-year pro recorded his first clean sheet as a professional. According to Opta statistics, Perrotta’s contribution accounted for a -1.17 goals prevented mark, the highest such number posted last weekend by a goalkeeper in a shutout performance.

Hounds Defense is Best in League; Eric Dick still leads USL Championship Golden Glove Race

The Hounds have lost only once in their past 13 matches, going 6-1-6. The team has only trailed twice during that stretch — after Colorado Springs scored the opening goal in the teams’ 2-2 draw on Aug. 17, and in stoppage time of the loss Sept. 14 at Tampa Bay.

The Hounds entered the weekend as the best defensive team in the USL Championship, allowing 0.90 goals per game. Tied
for second are Charleston, Detroit and Sacramento, all at an even 1.00 goals allowed per game.

Tied to the team’s defensive success, goalkeeper Eric Dick is the leader in the race for the USL Championship Golden Glove with a 0.78 goals against average.

________________________________________

Look for more Hounds coverage to come including Match Preview for Saturday’s clash with Charleston as the clubs will renew the oldest rivalry in the USL Championship, Griffin Floyd will be at Highmark Stadium to cover this pivotal match and more. 

John Krysinsky

John Krysinsky has covered soccer and other sports for many years for various publications and media outlets. He is also author of 'Miracle on the Mon' -- a book about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, which chronicles the club, particularly the early years of Highmark Stadium with the narrative leading up to and centered around a remarkable match that helped provide a spark for the franchise. John has covered sports for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, DK Pittsburgh Sports, Pittsburgh Sports Report, has served as color commentator on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC broadcasts, and worked with OPTA Stats and broadcast teams for US Open Cup and International Champions Cup matches held in the US. Krysinsky also served as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at his alma mater, Point Park University, where he led the Pioneers to the first-ever winning seasons and playoff berths (1996-98); head coach of North Catholic boys (2007-08), associate head coach of Shady Side Academy boys (2009-2014).