The Pittsburgh Riverhounds started the home portion of their 2025 preseason schedule with a 3-0 victory over Duquesne University this afternoon at Highmark Stadium.
Hounds offseason signing Augi Williams scored the opening goal just before halftime, and the Hounds added two more goals courtesy of non-roster trialists to make up the final margin. This was the team’s first match open to the public after facing the Columbus Crew of MLS in a closed-door setting last Saturday.
The Hounds (1-0-0) held an edge in possession throughout the match, and their pressure created problems for the Dukes as early as the fifth minute. Williams got on the ball after a turnover barely 20 yards from the Dukes’ goal, and he lifted a shot that was goal-bound until Duquesne defender Blaize Hardy intervened with a saving header at the goal line.
Aidan O’Toole also came close to opening the scoring, playing through a hold that might have yielded a penalty kick, but instead the second-year Hounds player got a shot away from 12 yards and forced a save by Dukes goalie Sam Coss.
The breakthrough came in the 45th minute, when one of the Hounds’ first-year pros, Charles Ahl, fired a low shot from inside the box that was saved by Coss. The rebound fell to the feet of Williams, whose first attempt was blocked away, but he was able direct the ball into the net on his second effort.
The Hounds came out with 10 new field players for the second half — a total of 24 players total saw minutes, including a trialist timeshare in goal — and the new crew needed less than two minutes to double the lead.
Robbie Mertz, the Pittsburgh native now in his sixth year with the team, sent a cross into the box from the left wing. The veteran midfielder’s pass found its target in one of the non-roster players, who turned the ball home to double the lead.
The afternoon ended with an 87th-minute strike from distance, as a second of the team’s trialists was able to pick out the left side of the net with a shot taken 25 yards from goal.
The Hounds continue their preseason with a pair of matches in the next eight days. The team travels to face fellow USL Championship team Indy Eleven on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 1 p.m., before returning to host Columbus Crew 2 — the Crew’s MLS Next Pro team — at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16.
Photos by Chris Cowger/Riverhounds SC
