With nine games remaining in the regular season, Pittsburgh Riverhounds coach Bob Lilley forecasted that 48 points was needed to get into the playoffs.

Talk about foreshadowing.

The Hounds achieved exactly that number and got the final three needed to clinch a playoff berth in a 2-0 victory over El Paso Locomotive on Saturday night at Highmark Stadium.

The Hounds are the No. 7 seed in the USL Championship Eastern Conference and will face No. 2 Charleston Battery on the road in the playoff opener.

The day and time of the match will be announced Sunday.

The win finished off a 6-1-2 run for the Hounds (12-10-12) since Lilley made his estimate. They secured 20 out of a possible 29 points.

After winning three games in the first half, the Hounds lost only once in the final 17.

“It was a long, long road and it’s not fun to have that type of weight on your shoulders,” Lilley said. “The weight was on us and we took it on, but nobody expected us to make it. The challenge was when we won in Loudoun (last week) it was all in our control and everyone was saying Pittsburgh’s in and then having to come and do it, knowing El Paso looked pretty good on tape.

“I thought they handled the moment, which is good for a team trying to mature. Hopefully we can call on some of that going into the playoffs.”

Edward Kizza scored in the ninth minute on a header off a free kick by Robbie Mertz and El Paso had an own goal in the 19th minute. It was Kizza’s team-leading 12th goal of the season and the fifth straight game in which he’s scored, which tied a club record.

It’s the second consecutive week and third time in five games that Kizza and Mertz have successfully connected on a free kick. All have been in similar fashion where Kizza rose above everyone and directed a header into the net.

“To be fair, we’ve never worked on it,” Kizza said. “Robbie puts in great balls, and then it’s about me finding space in that moment. It’s funny that it’s happened three times now. Robbie just puts it in the box, and I’m right there.”

The second goal came off a foul drawn by Junior Etou just outside the penalty area on the left side. Mertz fired a free kick toward goal and El Paso’s Ricky Ruiz headed attempt at a clearance went directly into the net.

Both goals came against former Hounds keeper Jahmali Waite, who started in net for El Paso.

Hounds keeper Eric Dick made two saves to earn his 14th clean sheet and sew up the Golden Glove for the lowest goals against in the USL Championship. Dick finished the year with a 0.69 goals-against average.

The USL will officially announce the award winners on Sunday.

“I am just an extension of the work and the game plan,” Dick said. “I will never ever take credit for anything solely as a goalkeeper, because the defensive effort of this team turned the season around. The chances that don’t get to me far outweigh the ones that do.”

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)