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Pittsburgh Riveters SC

Match Preview: More than bragging rights at stake when Riveters, Steel City FC meet in first all-Pittsburgh W-League derby

Photos courtesy Ed Thompson (Riveters SC) and Randy Warner (Steel City FC)

It’s been nearly a year since Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC President Jeff Garner made it official, announcing that a new women’s pre-professional club, eventually to be known as the Riveters SC, would be kicking off in 2025.

Since that time, the Riveters, tapping into the staffing and resources from the Riverhounds organization, embarked on an aggressive marketing campaign, positioning the new club as an active champion and pathway for girls in the region to pursue the highest levels of soccer.

With Highmark Stadium serving as the ideal backdrop, an established fan and supporter base in tow along with all the resources in place, the Riveters push for immediate relevance for its new women’s soccer club found plenty of traction through the end of 2024 and into 2025.

While the Riveters were introduced, Steel City FC women’s first team were in the midst of completing their ninth season of play last season, under the direction of Head Coach and the organization’s primary owner Tom Ovenden in the United Women’s Soccer league.

Steel City completed its 2024 campaign reaching new heights, with an unbeaten regular season and a berth in UWS Regional Tournament.

Ovenden and Steel City FC staff, always looking to find the best possible opportunities for their club, jumped at the opportunity to move their first teams from UWS, and in the case of the men, National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and into USL entities (USL League Two and USL W League).

In the Winter, when the announcement came, Steel City FC’s women’s club would be joining the same league as the new kids on the block, the Riveters.

“I’ve always wanted there to be this exciting rivalry in the city. It’s totally different model than rest of sports.  I am really excited for what that can be for the game.  What it can be for the game and getting girls to play,” Ovenden said.

“I think it’s a really good opportunity for us to take the crown as the best team in the city.  It’s a unique thing.  It has not happened before. There’s been a lot of spectacle on the Riveters.  It’s almost like the media’s favored more toward Riveters. We’ve been around here for so long, doing this.  I think we can do well.  For me, I’ve always wanted this existing rivalry.”

On the pitch thus far this season, the teams have both fared well in their initial campaign in USL W League, leading into this match with a lot more than bragging rights at stake or even building a rivalry.

The Riveters (3W-1L-2D, 11 points) are in first place, but Steel City FC (2W-0L-2D, eight points), having played two less matches, remain unbeaten.

Riveters Head Coach Scott Gibson, who has spent most of his time in Pittsburgh after his playing days at Duquesne (in early 2000s), helping build the Riverhounds Development Academy from the ground up, acknowledges that the match-up with Steel City FC presents the challenge for his team of being the hunted.

“We know each other very well. We’re close in terms of city makeup. It will be a tricky game. It will not be an easy game.  There’s a target on our back because we’re the new organization,” Gibson explained.

Talk of a rivalry has been largely pushed aside and have largely been downplayed by Riveters coaches and club officials, unless asked about it.

When asked on Sounding Off on Soccer Podcast in January about the potential for a budding rivalry, Riverhounds President Jeff Garner provided a short, polite and reserved response.

“Obviously we look forward to the competition,” Garner said.

“It’s good for Pittsburgh.”

Garner made it no secret that the club’s inaugural season competing in the W League is a platform for greater ambitions, to make the case to position the club to become Pittsburgh’s first women’s pro soccer franchise.

How soon that will happen is up in the air, but the Riveters’ early success in generating fan support certainly has to be getting some attention from some of the topflight pro women’s soccer leagues.

Focusing on Wednesday’s match-up, many players on both rosters are from in and around the Greater Pittsburgh area. Many grew up playing with and against each other — and are mostly still competing at the college level.

Look around the rosters for both teams — and you’ll see all of the Division I soccer programs in the area represented along with many former WPIAL (PIAA District 7) stars.

STEEL CITY FC ROSTER

RIVETERS ROSTER 

Playing against other clubs and teams from the Pittsburgh area is not unprecedented for many of these players — who have faced off both at the club level, in for their respective schools, from middle school to high school in the WPIAL/PIAA and now many still cross paths on the college soccer circuit.  In fact, there are some who are current and former teammates who will look on the other side of the pitch.

Once the ball is kicked off, the contest and tactics will be fascinating to watch, as the Riveters clearly have shown a propensity for getting on the front foot early in matches, using pace and speed on wings and clinical finishing touch of its leading scorer, Cornell rising senior, Tanum Nelson (who’s scored five goals this season including a hat trick on Sunday).

The majority of the Riveters goals this season have come in the first half.

The opposite has been true for Steel City.

This is a club that is comfortable in playing with each other, believes in playing a fluid style of play while also bringing a high press when they can.  Many of the players on the squad have been part of the Steel City system and playing together for many years.

There has been no panic for Steel City when trailing this season. They have nine goals in their four matches, led by three from Emily Cooper (Oakland Catholic / Pitt), but six different players total have found the net for Ovenden’s squad.

The Blue and Gold rallied twice while trailing FC Buffalo for a 2-2 draw, then on Saturday, same against Erie, trailing 2-1 late, Margaret Wilde’s equalizer helped them salvage points on the club’s Awards Day at Founders Field.

“Here at Steel City, it’s a grind. On Wednesday, it’s going to be tough for anyone who’s going to come on our turf.  We have to protect that, and that’s something that we’re really excited for,” Lucy Ream, Steel City FC defender and former Fox Chapel High School standout said after her team fought back against Erie.

Steel City thrives and enjoys playing at the friendly confines of its home facility, Founders Field, especially with so many from its academy teams coming to root them on as they’ve worked to build a culture where many of their own homegrown players have a first team to strive to play.

“It means so much,” Emily Graeca, Steel City FC co-captain.

First-ever Riveters-Steel City FC W League ‘Battle of the Bridges’ clash expected to pack friendly confines of Founders Field

“When you look at our club, that’s our goal, to have these homegrown players, who grow up and play with the club all the way to the first team.  It gives these girls something to look forward to, and something to work for.  It’s an honor to wear the badge as long as I have.”

Meanwhile, the Riveters have largely been pieced together as a collection of the best possible players they could bring on board, starting with combines over the Winter.  Some players have roots to the Riverhounds Development Academy along with many others who came to the club seeking a high-level training opportunity and lured by opportunity to play with this new club.

The Riveters train and play exclusively on the artificial field turf surfaces at AHN Montour and Highmark.

Could that give Steel City FC the advantage in the first of two matches between the sides — being that Founders Field is a natural grass surface?

“We know going into grass field, it’s going to be a different approach,” Gibson acknowledged.

“We have to go there, do that, and win it.   There are different ways to go about winning soccer.  At Founders Field, it’s beautiful grass field. We look forward to it.”

Looking at the records, you have to go back to July 2023, when the last time Steel City FC women lost a home match at Founders as the club were unbeaten on the home field in 2024 and thus far in 2025.

The Riveters’ record away from Highmark Stadium hasn’t exactly been stellar, though they did earn the club’s first-ever victory on the road, beating Flower City 1872, 3-2, though they saw a 3-0 lead evaporate late.

Then, in back-to-back road matches, they lost at Cleveland, 3-2, after holding a 2-0 lead, and last week, settled for a 1-1 draw after allowing a stoppage time goal.

Gibson mentioned his concerns about his team’s ability to get to the finish line in matches, which made him feel better about their result on Sunday, beating FC Buffalo squad that has always been Steel City’s nemesis, with relative ease, crusing to 3-0 victory.

Riveters will be boosted by the return of one of the club’s marquee players, Tessa Dellarose (Brownsville / University of North Carolina), who spent last week competing in the TST (The Soccer Tournament), for USWNT squad. Dellarose and the US Women defended their title in The Soccer Tournament 7v7 in North Carolina over the weekend

MATCH INFORMATION

Riveters (3-1-2) vs. Steel City FC (2-0-2)
Date: Wednesday, June 11
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Founders Field, Indiana Township, Pa.
Streaming: SportsEngine Play

 

 

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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).

Riverhounds MF Kenardo Forbes

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