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Tuesday, September 05, 2000

Special to the Post-Gazette

HERSHEY, Pa. -- The Riverhounds ended the season with a 3-2 loss to Atlantic Division rival Hershey in Hersheypark Stadium yesterday.

The loss halted the Riverhounds' road unbeaten streak at three games.

"I guess we found a way to lose games and give up goals," said Riverhounds Coach John Kowalski. "We scored two pretty good goals ourselves, and two goals away should be enough. But when you give up goals late, you lose games."

Gregory Simmonds, Hershey's leading scorer, put the Wildcats ahead in the 36th minute. Midfielder Mike Feniger got the assist after intercepting a Riverhounds pass and sending the ball to Simmonds, who took it on a breakaway. Goalkeeper Randy Dedini came out of the net to defend, and Simmonds shot past him from about 8 yards away.

The Riverhounds (10-14-4, 49 points) tied the match eight minutes later. With Edward Child and Phil Karn streaking down the field, Child passed the ball to Karn, who notched his sixth goal of the season.

Early in the second half, Simmonds had a chance to score again when he took a pass from midfielder Steve Klein and charged toward the goal. But Jeremy Ballenger's defensive play forced Simmonds to take a difficult shot, and Dedini made a one-handed save.

Klein scored a go-ahead goal in the 59th minute, taking a pass from Kyle Swords and shooting from the side. Dedini slid across the goal line to try to make the save, but he sustained a leg injury and had to leave the field. Doug Petras replaced him in the net for the rest of the game.

Hershey (15-9-3, 70 points) had another opportunity in the 65th minute with a free kick just outside the box. Riverhounds forward Lee Tschantret blocked the shot with his back.

Tschantret then sparked the Riverhounds' offense, scoring the tying goal in the 85th minute. Joenal Castma recorded the assist by stealing the ball from the Wildcats and passing it to Tschantret, who shot to the upper right corner, over substitute goalkeeper Richard Sletvold.

Four minutes later, Matt Ford scored the winning goal off a rebound from a Jamel Mitchell shot that Petras blocked.

The Riverhounds missed the playoffs this year, but Hershey clinched a berth and will play Rochester on the road Saturday.