PITTSBURGH - On a hot and humid night in Station Square, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds defeated the Rochester Rhinos 3-0 Saturday night at Highmark Stadium. With the win, the Riverhounds earned their first back-to-back victories of the season and extended their unbeaten streak to six games in USL PRO play. Riverhounds strikers Jose Angulo and Jhonny Arteaga, along with second half substitute Ryan Kinne tallied a goal each to lift the home side past their long-time region-rival, the Rhinos.

The game opened up with a slow pace, but both sides would receive an early scoring opportunity in the first ten minutes. The Riverhounds nearly scored on a short corner in the 7th minute when Matt Dallman picked out a slashing Alfonso Motagalvan. Shaking off his marker at the edge of the six yard box, Motagalvan headed Dallman’s service cleanly, but his header flew inches over the crossbar. On the ensuing restart, the Rhinos Thomas McManus played a diagonal ball in behind the Riverhounds defense for Michael Reidy. Taking a touch towards goal, Reidy’s touch brought Riverhounds goalkeeper Hunter Gilstrap off his line. Closing Reidy at the edge of the penalty area, Gilstrap turned Reidy’s shot off frame and out for a corner.

The two sides battled for possession in the midfield throughout the remainder of the first half. The Riverhounds would take advantage of a quality combination from Andrew Marshall and Motagalvan at midfield to create a numbers-up situation at the edge of the Rhinos penalty area in the 42nd minute. Motagalvan freed the ball to Dallman right of the Rhinos goal. Trying a one-two combination with Arteaga, Dallman’s touch deflected off his marker and back on to his right foot sixteen yards from goal. Dallman rifled a shot past Rhinos net-minder Kriston Nicht, but his attempt rattled the crossbar and landed on the foot of Angulo. Taking a touch to his dominant left foot, Angulo slid a shot past Nicht for the game’s first goal. With the goal, Angulo raised his team-leading conversions to five and Dallman raised his league-leading assist total to seven.

The Rhinos would come out of the break with high pressure and midfielder Tyler Roselund would pick the pocket of Motagalvan thirty-five yards from goal. Driving to the edge of the penalty box, Roselund ripped a shot on target, but Gilstrap was in good position to smother the shot.

The Riverhounds would add to their lead in the 63rd minute when Marshall found Angulo behind the Rhinos defense on the left flank. Jumping quickly into the attack, Angulo picked his head up to see Arteaga racing to the back post. A brilliant early service by Angulo across the mouth of the goal would find the back of the net off Arteaga’s head. Angulo’s cross seemed to have eyes as it snuck between Nicht and Arteaga’s marker. Rising above the ball, Arteaga headed home from just inside the six yard box for his second tally of the season.

The Riverhounds would add an insurance goal in the 88th minute when Kinne struck from close range. Rich Costanzo played a driven ball down the right flank for Kevin Kerr. Digging the ball out of the corner, Kerr slipped a pass back for Kinne. Taking his first touch past the Rhinos defense, Kinne took a hard right-footed shot past Nicht for his first goal of the season.

The Riverhounds remain at home next Friday, June 7 when they host Toronto FC Reserves of the MLS. The game will kick off at 7:00 p.m. and is being promoted as a “White-Out” night, with every spectator receiving a white T-shirt upon arrival at Highmark Stadium. The Rhinos return to Rochester to host the Montreal Impact Reserves next Friday. Their match is slated to start at 7:35 p.m. at Sahlen’s Stadium.

To purchase Riverhounds tickets, visit Riverhounds.com/tickets or call the Highmark Stadium Box Office at (412) 224-4900.

San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) drives while fouled by Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33), of Spain, in the second half of an NBA basketball game on Monday, Jan. 30, 2012, in Memphis, Tenn. The Spurs won 83-73. (AP Photo/Jim Weber) 

by Eliott C. McLaughlin

(CNN) -- OK, readers, let's have a debate, one of sports talk's favorites. Who is the best player in the NBA? Is it Kevin Durant, LeBron James or Kobe Bryant?

In this May 8, 1997, photo, Atlanta Hawks' Mookie Blaylock (10) drives against the Chicago Bulls' Ron Harper during an NBA basketball playoff game in Chicago. (AP Photo/Michael S. Green, File)

ATLANTA (AP) — Former NBA All-Star guard Daron "Mookie" Blaylock was upgraded to serious condition at an Atlanta hospital Saturday, a day after his SUV crashed head-on into a van and killed a woman.

BILL NEAL

:10 I wanted to let some time go by so ya wouldn’t think I was trying to be self serving.  As you all know, I am very humble, quiet, shy and not one to speak about myself.  Myself …Neal…Neal…Neal!  What? Stop lying to the people man. They know you better than that.  Now just get on with it will you!  OK, OK. Anyway, what I wanted to tell you was that a few weeks ago I was privileged to be honored by emcee Larry Richert and KDKA-TV at the first Home Town Heroes Awards. After several hundred local outstanding public servants were nominated, I was fortunate enough to be one of the five honorees recognized for outstanding public service. That said, I want to take this opportunity to thank Larry and KDKA for the tremendous banquet and event they hosted that, by the way, featured the living legend Bruno Sammartino as the guest speaker.  But more importantly, I want to encourage all our readers to recognize and nominate someone you think deserves to be honored for what they do to help make Pittsburgh some place special. KDKA is now accepting nominations for Home Town Heroes II.  Just call KDKA radio or go on-line for more information.  Do it…do it now…or Bruno will body slam ya!!!

:09 Hey Rutgers University, maybe next you want to hire a former KKK member to oversee your minority affairs programs or you could get that nut from Cleveland to run your women’s sports program…or…hold up…wait a minute…you could bring Coach Mike Rice back and let him run sensitivity sessions for ya on campus after church.  Look, you mean to tell me you hired Julie Herman to be your new athletic director…a woman that told her volleyball team 16 years ago they were a bunch of worthless talentless whores who better not get pregnant on her watch or burn in hell. C’mon man!! (Where do I get this stuff?)

:08 Reggie Bush playing for the Detroit Lions.  Why?

:07 This is a test to see if Rita really does read my column every week like she says. If so…Rita call me and tell me you saw this.

:06 Is it me or do “Spock” from Star Trek and “Moe” from the Three Stooges look just alike? And have you seen them both in the same place at the same time?  I’m just saying!

:05 Everett Golson, the freshman sensation quarterback at Notre Dame who was in line for Heisman nomination just got kicked off the team for academic cheating. Well then, how did he get in Notre Dame to begin with?  That’s two “I am just sayings” for ya.

:04 Just look it up. Don’t take my word for it. I said the Spurs would win the West and would upset the Heat, and that you water head boys you can take it to the bank!

:03 Tim Duncan…probably the greatest power forward in NBA history and clearly the most underrated.

:02 I know I owe you that top ten list from dude “on vacation,” but I can’t find the damn thing, but I will I promise. I don’t want dude not on vacation anymore to come looking for me…you know what I’m sayin!?!?

:01 Movie Review Time.  This is easy.  Fast and Furious is…well, fast and furious.  See it now. I give it 4    

:00 DOUBLE OVERTIME

•The next and best Harlem Nights Old School Par-tay is coming Friday, May 31—3  Lakes Golf Course—8-1 p.m.—the line dance master Roland Ford will be there—music by the legend Sly Jock—free parking—cash bar—cash kitchen till 11 p.m.—50/50—best dressed man and woman—cash prize—the Corvette Club and their cars will be out on display and yes, it’s dress to impress.

This is the big one to kick off the unofficial start of summer—we need ya’ll on this one.  It raises money for the 38th Annual Connie Hawkins Youth Development Summer Basketball League. Starting June 15 at the Penn Hills YMCA—come out and meet former world heavyweight kickboxing champion Jacquet Bazemore and WISH light heavyweight champion Rayco “War” Saunders Weil as he gets ready for his title fight.

~ GAME  OVER ~

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