RHINO DROPPINGS

Last time out: Five shots. Five goals. The worst loss in the history of professional soccer in Portland. You already know all about it, unless you tried listening to the match on the radio or the webcast.

Rochester’s four starting midfielders each scored a goal, something that hasn’t happened since July 20, 2001 (Mladenov, Steenkamp, Nash, and Dan Annan). For the record, in two matches against the Timbers:

That’s all pretty fricking mind-blowing. F.San, by the way, was named to the Team of the Week for the third straight time, joining Edwin Miranda (Portland), Steve Klein (Vancouver) and Matthew Delicâte (Richmond) as players who have won this honor at least three times in 2005. Pato Aguilera and “Scary” Jason Perry also made the TOW.

As RD predicted, the Rhinos fell, 1-0, to Seattle last night, on an 86^th minute miscue by “Scary” Jason Perry. Most of Rochester’s starters ended up in the book, with Billy “The Biter” Sedgewick leading the way (we might have to put the Rene Rivas Yellow Card Counter back up on this site, too). The win was the Sounders’ fourth in a row, and their millionth straight shutout, or something.

Next up: The ladies from Chucktown make an appearance this Saturday at Frontier Field. After an impressive 5-0-0 record against the Battery franchise, Rochester is a dismal 1-3-1 against Charleston in their last five matches at Frontier, scoring just four goals in the process. The Battery are riding an impressive win streak (three matches) into the contest, and won’t have to worry about Billy the Biter because he’ll be suspended. Charleston is led by Team of the Weeker Lazo Alavanja (2+2=6) and reigning Player of the Week Usiel Vasquez (3+0=6), who have both done all of their goal-scoring over the last four matches. They must think they’re Kirk Wilson, or something.

Charleston will also have their eye on next Wednesday’s US Open Cup match against Des Moines, so this is as good a time as any for Rochester to face them. And they’ve only scored once in six road matches during the 2005 campaign. Additionally , the Battery have just one road win in June since the 2003 season. That’s-a not a spicy meat-a-ball!

Tail of the Tape

5-2-6

Record

5-1-5

1-1-4 (away)

3-0-1 (home)

1.00

GFA

1.73

0.20 (away)

2.00 (home)

1.31

GAA

1.09

1.34 (away)

1.00 (home)

<0.31>

Goal Differential

0.64

<1.14> (away)

1.00 (home)

3 wins

Streak

1 loss

1 win (away)

2 wins (home)

5-0-5

Last 10 matches

5-1-4

2-3-5 (away)

5-2-3 (home)

4-3-11

Head-to-Head

11-3-4

1-3-6 (away)

6-3-1 (home)

8-2-7

June Record*

10-0-2

4-1-3 (away)

7-0-1 (home)

12-4-13

Saturday Record*

16-0-6

5-1-5 (away)

10-0-2 (home)

4-0-3

June/Saturday Record*

5-0-0

3-0-1 (away)

3-0-0 (home)

* - since 2003

Then, on Monday, hot MetroStars action, where you’ll be able to welcome U-20 captain Eddie Gaven, French World Cup star Youri Djorkaeff, former Rhinos defender Carlos Mendes, international superstar Amado Guevara, US legend Jeff Agoos, and the recently rejuvenated Ante Razov. It’s the most star-studded club in MLS, so don’t miss it.

Prediction: Rhinos beat Charleston, 2-0, and we'll get to see Jonny Steele again on Monday.

Where have you gone, Andy Restrepo? It’s all about the Woolfolk in Puerto Rico. First, CW scored the Islanders lone goal in a 2-1 loss to Portland, in a match that featured a staggering 45 fouls and two ejections (both PR players). Woolfolk, a member of the current TOW, added two more in a 4-3 loss to Minnesota three days later, giving him an impressive run of six goals over his last six appearances. Islanders’ defender Marco Vélez, fresh off a three-match suspension for an ejection earlier in the season, received a yellow card in each of this week’s matches. Nice work, Marco!

Fans who tuned into Fox Soccer Channel’s debut USL-1 broadcast saw Chris Carrieri net his second goal of the season in Richmond’s 2-1 road loss to Charleston. Greg Simmonds received a yellow card, despite playing just 18 minutes.

Atlanta’s 3-2 defeat of Vancouver saw assists from both David Hayes and Martin Nash, as well as the ejection of Ian Fuller, who nabbed two yellow cards over a 28-minute span in his debut for the Whitecaps (or 86ers, if that floats your boat). The S-Backs scored two goals in the first seven minutes of play, with Vancouver adding one in the 9^th minute (hopefully, nobody missed this cacophony of goal-scoring while waiting in line for nachos at DeKalb). Vancouver lost again on Sunday, failing to score in a 2-0 loss in Charleston. Ryan Trout made his first starts of the season for the Whitecaps, who have dropped three of their last four.

Here’s the latest installment of the completely unpopular Current Rhinos vs. Ex-Rhinos:

Around the (A-)League: Some notable US Open Cup upsets in Round One: Des Moines (PDL) toppling Pittsburgh (USL-2) on penalty kicks; and Indiana (USASA) whooping it up on Cincinnati (USL-2). The Rhinos will, on July 13 at Frontier, face the winner of Virginia Beach and Richmond Kickers Future.

This week’s USL-1 action on Fox Sports Channel is Atlanta traveling to play the hapless Mariners, who are looking for their second win of the season.

MLS roundup: Pat Onstad hurled another shutout as San Jose handed Real Salt Lake their fifth straight loss. Onstad has allowed just four goals over his last eight matches as the Earthquakes continue to stalk Los Angeles and Dallas in the West.

Colorado’s Guy Melamed is making a run for MLS Thug of the Year, earning red cards in each of his last two matches. In the former, Pablo Mastroeni also got the boot, but the Rapids still managed to beat Los Angeles despite playing two men down for the bulk of the match.

Interesting Matchups: Two home-and-away series this weekend, with Atlanta playing two against Virginia Beach, and Seattle taking on Vancouver twice. Toronto has two chances for their first taste of victory, playing in Minnesota on Friday before hosting Charleston on Sunday.

Weird numbers of the week: DC United without John Wilson = 3-2-4, 1.54 GAA. DC United with John Wilson = 2-2-0, 0.75 GAA.

Weekly trivia: Who is Rochester’s all-time leading scorer against Charleston?

Answers next week. And, no – we don’t have anything to give away to people who know the correct response. Last week's answer was Kirk Wilson.

Current Rhinos*:	0.465 Points per Match (up 0.044)
Ex-Rhinos*:	0.458 PPM (up 0.149)