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CARY, N.C. — Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC kicked off its 2025 season with a hard-fought 1-1 draw tonight against North Carolina FC at WakeMed Soccer Park.
Evan Conway opened the scoring for North Carolina (0-0-1) in the first half, but offseason signing Augi Williams pulled the Hounds (0-0-1) back to level terms in the second half, as both players capitalized on defensive errors to find the net.
Riverhounds goalkeeper Eric Dick needed to make only one save, as the Hounds held a significant edge in possession, 63.6 percent, and total shots, 10-5.
Pittsburgh came out looking to get forward early, winning a pair of early corner kicks that resulted in Sean Suber headers. The first was off target, and the second resulted in the first of four saves by North Carolina goalkeeper Jake McGuire.
Play continued to lead the visitors’ way until defender Beto Ydrach lost his footing playing the ball, allowing former Hounds midfielder Louis Pérez to pounce for North Carolina. Pérez fed Conway in front of goal, and the striker tapped in for a 22nd-minute goal, his second in his last three matches against the Hounds.
The goal put momentum win the home side, and in the 41st minute, Dick had to intervene to prevent Conway from making it 2-0.
A shot attempt by Pérez was blocked by the Hounds’ defense, but the ball ricocheted to the feet of Conway, who was able to turn and shoot near the penalty spot. Dick dove to his right to push the ball around the post, making his lone save of the night one for the highlight reel.
The Hounds locked things down even further after the break, holding North Carolina without a single shot in the second half.
Needing to get a goal back, Luke Biasi lifted an apparently harmless ball forward toward Williams. The ball skimmed backward off the head of North Carolina’s Aedon Sundstrom, and McGuire, well off his goal line, couldn’t cleanly play the redirected ball.
Williams beat the goalkeeper to the loose ball and carried it into the box to finish with his left foot between McGuire and retreating defenders in the 57th minute. For Williams, the No. 5 all-time scorer in USL Championship history, it was his 77th regular season goal but his first as a member of the Hounds.
Things kept moving the Hounds’ direction, and captain Danny Griffin nearly put his team in front when he struck a volley in the box on a ball looped over the defense. Griffin struck it well but too close to McGuire, who stood his ground and kept the ball out of the net in the 76th minute.
Despite the territorial edge, the Hounds were unable to find a second goal on a day when many of the team’s young players contributed. Earning starts in their professional debut were Ydrach, Jason Bouregy and Jorge Garcia, while Charles Ahl, Max Broughton and Brigham Larsen all made pro debuts off the bench in the second half.
MODELO MAN OF THE MATCH
Augi Williams takes top honors for his opportunistic strike that earned the Hounds a point. He also successfully took 6 of 10 duels on the ground and won three free kicks in the match, while becoming only the third player to score on his Hounds debut under Bob Lilley, joining Dane Kelly (2022) and Bertin Jacquesson (2024).
WHAT’S NEXT?
The Riverhounds make it two straight on the road to kick off 2025, as they head west to visit San Antonio FC at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, March 15. San Antonio was hosting Monterey Bay FC in their season opener later tonight.
BOX SCORE
Riverhounds SC lineup (4-2-3-1) — Eric Dick; Junior Etou, Sean Suber, Beto Ydrach (Illal Osumanu 69’), Luke Biasi (Aidan O’Toole 87′); Jackson Walti, Danny Griffin; Robbie Mertz (Brigham Larsen 87’), Jorge Garcia (Charles Ahl 54’), Jason Bouregy (Max Broughton 69’); Augi Williams
North Carolina FC lineup (3-5-2) — Jake McGuire; Collin Martin (Raheem Somersall 77’), Conor Donovan, Bryce Washington; Jaden Servania, Louis Pérez (Ahmad Al-Qaq 77’), Mikey Maldonado, Rafa Mentingen, Finn Sundstrom; Oalex Anderson (Adam Luckhurst 77’), Evan Conway (Rodrigo da Costa 89’)
Scoring summary
NC — Evan Conway 22’ (Louis Pérez)
PIT — Augi Williams 57’
Discipline summary
NC — Louis Pérez 38’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Robbie Mertz 71’ (caution – reckless foul)
PIT — Luke Biasi 86’ (caution – reckless foul)
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(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the National Soccer Network regarding club/youth soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer involving teams, players or coaches with ties to a particular state or states, contact Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com and news@nationalsoccernetwork.com, or call 248-525-2349. Dan Stickradt is a 32-year veteran of the Michigan and national media circles and recently joined the staff full time at PMG in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/NSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@thepremiermediagrp.com.)
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