MATCH INFORMATION
- Rochester Rhinos (1-seed) vs. New York Red Bulls II (4-seed)
- Saturday Oct. 3, 2015
- Sahlen’s Stadium, Rochester, NY
- 7:05 p.m. ET (WATCH: Live stream available on NewYorkRedBulls.com/Live)
- #ROCvNY – Follow on Twitter: @NYRBII
New York Red Bulls II is set to take on the USL Regular Season champion Rochester Rhinos this weekend in the Eastern Conference semifinal. This will be the fourth and final matchup between these clubs this season. New York lost the season series against Rochester, going 0-2-1 in three matches.
Last weekend, Red Bulls II won its first ever postseason match against Pittsburgh Riverhounds in extra time, 4-2. On-loan defender Karl Ouimette scored two goals in extra time to give his side the victory, but he will not be available this weekend against Rochester after being recalled to the First Team.
Manolo Sanchez and Daniel Bedoya also scored for NYRB II in last weekend’s match. Sanchez’s goal in the first-round was his third in the last five matches. The forward played 119 minutes in the conference quarterfinal and the goal was his fifth tally of the season. Bedoya, who entered the match in the 83rd minute as a substitute, earned one goal and an assist in extra time. The forward took on Leo Stolz’s corner kick duties after the midfielder was subbed out of the game in extra time and set up both of Ouimette’s goals via corner kicks. NYRB II’s regular season leader in assists, he iced the match in the 119th minute with a goal of his own on a breakaway.
Stefano Bonomo recorded an assist last weekend to give him back-to-back matches with at least one point. In the final game of the season against Rochester, Bonomo scored the game-tying goal in stoppage time. The forward has now tallied one goal and two assists in the last four matches.
Rochester Rhinos enters the match unbeaten in its last eight matches. The club finished the year with a 17-1-10 record and finished with the best record in USL. The closest team in points total to Rochester was Louisville City FC, who finished with 48 points, 13 points behind the Rhinos. The Rhinos defense, which allowed only 15 goals all season, is commanded by goalkeeper Brandon Miller who leads the league with a USL best 0.54 goals against average.
Christian Volesky and Colin Rolfe are Rochester’s most deadly attackers based on this season’s head-to-head matchups with Red Bulls II. Rolfe scored twice against New York in their previous meeting, while Volesky provided both assists. Rolfe also provided an assist in Rochester’s initial victory against NYRB II this season. A 22-year old forward who was named the 2015 MLS Combine MVP, he is Rochester’s leading goal-scorer with eight goals this season.
