The hometown hero of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds’ run to their first USL Championship title will be back in black and gold.
Upper St. Clair’s Robbie Mertz signed a two-year deal with a club option for a third year, the Riverhounds announced Wednesday.
Mertz, a 29-year-old midfielder, has spent parts of seven seasons with the Riverhounds and is fifth on the team’s all-time games played list with 173 appearances.
Winning three times in penalty kicks at the end of scoreless games, the Riverhounds scored just one goal in the run of play during the postseason. Mertz scored it in overtime of the Eastern Conference final, delivering a 1-0 win over Rhode Island FC.
“We’re coming off the first championship in club history, so there is significant momentum right now with many people excited about the club and the direction we’re taking,” Mertz said in a press release. “It’s an honor to still be contributing to it after all this time. There’s a lot of work to be done and many moments to look forward to.”
Mertz has 23 goals and 22 assists for his Riverhounds career, making him one of only three players to hit the 20 mark in both categories.
“We’re excited to have Robbie back. He was instrumental in our playoff run, and representing his hometown, he continues to set the standard for what it means to play in Pittsburgh,” club sporting director Dan Visser said in the release.
