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Post Match Buzz: Riverhounds roll into the playoffs

Photo courtesy Steel Army / Instagram

The Riverhounds got off to a fast start, taking advantage of two set pieces then cruised to a 2-0 victory against El Paso Locomotive for its fourth consecutive victory to close out the season to clinch the club’s seventh consecutive postseason berth before another sellout crowd at Highmark Stadium.

PSN’s Griffin Floyd was there and provided the Match Report.  After the match, Griffin also caught reaction in the post match press conference from Head Coach Bob Lilley, along with forward Edward Kizza and goalkeeper Eric Dick.

Riverhounds pounce on El Paso, clinch playoff spot with 2-0 win

Post Match Interviews

Head Coach Bob Lilley: ‘We’re showing character’

“We’re showing character. I couldn’t be happier with the group in terms of the tenacity you have to have to close the season [the way they did],” Lilley said.

“I thought they handled the emotions and the moment well, which is good for a team trying to mature. Hopefully we’re able to call on some of that going into the playoffs.”  

Forward Edward Kizza: ‘Robbie just puts it in the box, and I’m right there’

“To be fair, we’ve never worked on it,” Kizza said.

“Robbie puts in great balls, and then it’s about me finding space in that moment. It’s funny that it’s happened three times now. Robbie just puts it in the box, and I’m right there.”

Goalkeeper Eric Dick:

The Hounds (12W-12D-10L) haven’t allowed a goal in more than 371 minutes of gametime—their last goal against coming in a September 28 draw while hosting Birmingham Legion FC—with 281 of those minutes taken up by cornerstone keeper Eric Dick.

The shutout streak helped Dick secure the USL Championship Golden Glove award with a league-best 0.72 goals against average in 25 matches this season. When asked about the feat, he was quick to defer praise to his teammates and the Hounds’ fanbase.

“It’s an honor to be on the field, first off, for me. Just a pleasure to be in front of so many amazing fans, be on the field with so many amazing players,” Dick said. “I am just an extension of the work and the game plan. I will never, ever, ever take credit solely for anything as a goalkeeper because the defensive effort that this team has shown to turn the season around, the chances that don’t get to me far, far outweigh the ones that do.”

 

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