Robbie Mertz grew up in the Pittsburgh area and is now looking to help make more history for his hometown team this weekend with the Riverhounds.<\/p>\n
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds are heading to Tulsa, Oklahoma to compete for their first ever USL title and are on a historic run that means so much to the program but especially to Mertz, who’s played a big part for his hometown club.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“A 22 year old kid, really, out of college, and now I have a wife and a son,” Mertz said.<\/p>\n
Riverhounds midfielder Robbie Mertz grew up in the Pittsburgh area and in some ways, grew up with the organization.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Him being from here, it means a lot to him,” said midfielder Daniel Griffin. “He’s someone who’s vocal and has leadership in the group.”<\/p>\n
Mertz plays a significant role for the Riverhounds club that has already made history and is looking to make more.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Upper St. Clair native, in his sixth year with the Riverhounds, scored the only goal in Saturday’s conference championship match that sent the team into the finals.<\/p>\n
“If you were there that night, you know how special it was,” Mertz said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And the goal came under quite a bit of pressure.<\/p>\n
“Coming off the week prior against Detroit, it looked like for a moment the season was going to end at my own hand,” Mertz said. “So that was a difficult thing to swallow even though we ended up winning the game. So to come back a week later, honestly it was a moment of faith.”<\/p>\n
The Riverhounds beat Rhode Island 1-0 to claim their first-ever conference title in history with Mertz winning big both on the pitch and at home.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“This year in particular has had several of those moments where it’s like I can’t believe this is happening,” Mertz said. “I’m so grateful for what this year has brought. I’d go back to June. My wife had given birth two days prior and I had a goal and assist against Detroit and I thought that was the best night of my life and perhaps it still is, but to follow it up with a big goal at a big time, yeah I get emotional thinking about it. I never thought that would be my role to play in all of this but it’s been so special.”<\/p>\n
Mertz says this Riverhounds team is an extremely tight-knit group who is ready to finish the job on Saturday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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