Rhinos Sink Mariners
Carrieri and Woolfolk Pairing Returns Rhinos To Winning
Ways
J-P Altieri & Keith
Kiedrowski,
a-league.com Match Reporters
Rochester
ROCHESTER, NY, June 12, 2004 – Coming off its first-ever
franchise loss to Atlanta, the Rochester Raging Rhinos looked to bounce back
against the Virginia Beach Mariners at Frontier Field. Having made some major
adjustments to his lineup, coach Pat Ercoli fielded a more robust,
offensive-minded squad that included a first-time start for star substitute Corey
Woolfolk.
Outshooting the Mariners 9-4 in the first half, Rochester was out
to prove that last Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Atlanta was a fluke. Rochester poured
on the pressure, keeping Virginia Beach ‘keeper Matt Nelson busy deflecting and
stopping shots from everywhere inside his goal box. The Rhinos’ persistence
paid off in the 23’, when forward Chris Carrieri placed a crisp through ball
onto Woolfolk. Woolfolk moved himself and the ball around Nelson and chipped
into the awaiting net.
Virginia Beach did not seem to respond immediately and continued
to allow the ball to remain on their end of the pitch. This would come back to
bite them in the 32’, when Carrieri would score, only this time Woolfolk placed
a ball through to him and Carrieri moved around Nelson to net the game-winner.
This combination, allowed due to the absence of injured Rhinos’ forward Doug
Miller, might be the one the Rhinos need in order to produce goals and keep the
team in the hunt for the Eastern Conference championship.
Virginia Beach found more chances in the second half, due partly
to a much more conservative game plan by the Rochester coaching staff. The
Mariners’ Dante Washington netted a questionable goal that appeared to be a
charge and a handball in the 47’. Washington collided with Rhinos ‘keeper Theo
Zagar, and the ball dropped quickly into the empty Rochester goal.
Overall, the first half was highly entertaining, but the Rhinos’
defensive stance in the second half sent the match into a lull, where wild
shots from the Mariners merited nothing but Rochester goal kicks and defensive
clearances.
Scoring Summary
|
Time
|
Goal Scorer & Assist
|
Score
|
|
23’
|
Woolfolk (Carrieri)
|
ROC 1 – VB 0
|
|
32’
|
Carrieri (Woolfolk)
|
ROC 2 – VB 0
|
|
47’
|
Washington (unassisted)
|
ROC 2 – VB 1
|
Starting Lineups
Y = Yellow Card
R = Red Card
Rochester Raging Rhinos
Formation: 4-4-2
22 GK – Theo Zagar
3 D – Craig Demmin
11 D – Bill Sedgewick (Mendes, 72’)
17 D – David Wright
26 D – Carlos Semedo
8 M – Shaun Tsakiris
13 M – Noah Delgado (John Wilson, 83‘)
21 M – Kirk Wilson
20 M – Aduato Neto (Steenkamp, 72‘)
12 F – Corey Woolfolk (Dargout, 83’)
15 F – Chris Carrieri
Virginia Beach Mariners
Formation: 4-4-2
1 GK – Matt Nelson
2 D – Steve Danbusky
3 D – Kevin Knott
5 D – Russell Hutchinson
4 D – Jeremy Aldrich (Kirmse, 45’)
10 M – Mark Jonas [Y] (Garcia, 83’)
11 M – Jacob Fenger (Alvarez, 59’)
21 M – Hamisi Amani-Dove
16 M – Jose Gomez (McManus, 45’)
9 F – Dante Washington
19 F – Nathan Winkel
How They Fared
Here’s how we feel the Rhinos fared against Virginia Beach:
8 = Highest, 0 = Lowest
|
Player
|
J-P’s Rating
|
Keith’s Rating
|
Comments
|
|
22 GK – Theo
Zagar
|
7.0
|
7
|
Comes off his
line too often, although Washington’s goal was questionable.
|
|
3 D – Craig
Demmin
|
7.5
|
7
|
Solid at the
back. Nice game.
|
|
11 D – Bill
Sedgewick
|
7.0
|
7
|
A bit better
tonight, still the weakest of the defenders.
|
|
17 D – David
Wright
|
6.5
|
7
|
Made a couple of
errant passes that if better shots had resulted could’ve turned the game in
VB’s favor.
|
|
26 D – Carlos
Semedo
|
7.0
|
7
|
Played well,
pushed up when needed.
|
|
8 M – Shaun
Tsakiris
|
6.5
|
6
|
Solid game, good
role player tonight.
|
|
13 M – Noah
Delgado
|
5.5
|
6
|
Played well, fits
well within this group of players on the pitch.
|
|
21 M – Kirk
Wilson
|
5.5
|
5
|
Holds the ball,
then holds it some more. Or at least until a defender takes it off of him.
|
|
20 M – Neto
|
7.5
|
7
|
Added a nice flow
to the game. Passes were on the surface and his touch is wonderful.
|
|
12 F – Corey
Woolfolk
|
8.0
|
8
|
A goal and an
assist. ‘Nuff said.
|
|
15 F – Chris
Carrieri
|
8.0
|
8
|
See Corey
Woolfolk. Netted game-winner.
|
|
Coaches
|
6.5
|
6
|
1st
half mentality was “score at any cost,” 2nd half mentality of
“defend the lead” lowers rating.
|
Statistics
SHOTS:
ROC: 12
VB: 9
SAVES:
ROC: 5
VB: 4
FOULS:
ROC: 6
VB: 16
CAUTIONS/EJECTIONS:
ROC: 0/0
VB: 1/0
OFFSIDES:
ROC: 5
VB: 3
ATTENDANCE: 10,156
