Rochester Rhinos News Release — www.rhinossoccer.com
Monday, October 4, 2010
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Rochester Rhinos will enter the 2010 USSF D2 Pro League playoffs as the No.1 seed after capturing the regular season championship. The Rhinos earned the top seed entering postseason play by virtue of their 2-1 win on Saturday at St. Louis coupled with Austin’s 2-0 loss at Montreal.
The Rhinos will open postseason play at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Puerto Rico on Thursday when they face the Islanders beginning at 8:05 p.m. The second leg of the two-game aggregate goals series will take place at Rochester’s Marina Auto Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m.
The Islanders finished the regular season with a record of 9-10-9 for 36 points. They split the regular season series with Rochester, losing 3-0 to the Rhinos in Rochester on June 26 and defeating them in Puerto Rico in late July by a 3-1 score. They were led by David Foley who tallied eight goals in 2010 and Nicholas Addlery who also registered 16 points.
Rochester was led offensively by Isaac Kissi, who finished the season tenth in the league in scoring with eight goals and two assists. Andrew Hoxie and Anthony Hamilton finished tied for second on the club with 11 points.
This will mark the third time in three seasons that the Islanders and Rhinos have met in the playoffs. It is the first time, however, that the concluding leg of the series will be played in Rochester. After leading the 2008 semifinals 2-1 after the first leg in Rochester the Rhinos struggled in Puerto Rico, losing 5-3 on aggregate. Last season Rochester took a 2-0 lead at home but fell on the road 3-0 in the second leg and 3-2 on aggregate.
The USSF D-2 Pro League playoffs will begin on Wednesday, Oct. 6, with Montreal hosting Austin at 7:30 p.m. ET at Stade Saputo and Minnesota squaring off against Carolina at 8 p.m. ET at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn. The following day, Rochester will face Puerto Rico at 8:05 p.m. ET in Bayamon, while Portland and Vancouver renew their rivalry at 10:30 p.m. ET at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, British Columbia.
The playoffs consist of a two-leg, aggregate goals series in the first round, semifinals and finals. If teams are tied on aggregate goals after the conclusion of the second leg, they will play two 15 minute overtime periods. Penalty kicks will follow overtime if the teams have not broken the deadlock.
