The defending USL champion Rochester Rhinos are back in the postseason to attempt to reclaim their crown, and they entered the 2016 USL Cup Playoffs in good form with a nine-game unbeaten streak (5-0-4) and the opportunity to host an Eastern Conference Quarterfinal. Rochester defeated the Charlotte Independence 3-1 in the opener to extend the unbeaten streak to 10. Living up to the standards that the 2015 team set certainly haven’t been easy, and probably were not realistic anyway. A USL-record 17 shutouts in a 28-game slate a year ago is a nearly impossible ask within a league that gains more and more parity. Coach Bob Lilley’s side fought hard once again to put itself in a good position among the top of the Eastern Conference standings, and the Rhinos hope to rekindle their postseason magic a second time around.

2016 USL Playoffs: Eastern Conference Quarterfinal result:
No. 4 Rochester Rhinos (3), No. 5 Charlotte Independence (1) – The Rhinos began their title defense with one of their best offensive efforts of the year as Wal Fall, Steevan Dos Santos and Sofiane Tergou each scored a goal for Rochester on Saturday, Oct. 1, at Rhinos Stadium. The Rhinos played with a two-man advantage down the stretch as Charlotte's Jack Metcalf was sent off in the 80th minute and Jun Marques Davidson was shown his second yellow card shortly thereafter. Enzo Martinez in stoppage time picked up a second caution to go down to eight men in the waning moments. - RECAP

2016 USL regular season:
Records:
Overall: 13-5-12 (51 points) | Home: 9-2-4 (31 points) | Road: 4-3-8 (20 points)

Goals For: 38 | Goals Against: 25

Leaders:
Goals: 1. Christian Volesky 10; 2. Steevan Dos Santos 8; 3. Joe Farrell 5; 4. Kenardo Forbes 3
Assists: 1. Steevan Dos Santos 5; 2. Kenardo Forbes 4; 3. (tie) Christian Volesky, Bradley Kamdem 3
Saves: 1. Tomas Gomez 39; 2. Adam Grinwis 20; 3. Dan Lynd 1

Clinched its postseason … Aug. 31; mathematically clinched following Wilmington Hammerheads FC’s 2-2 draw against FC Montreal

Defining moment: The Rhinos went through an eight-game stretch without a win on the road, though in seven straight they were able to manage to come away with a point. Rochester finally turned in a full three points away from home against one of the tougher sides in the Eastern Conference, rallying for a 2-1 victory against the Charleston Battery on Sept. 3 at MUSC Health Stadium. The match didn’t start out to Rochester’s liking as Charleston’s Justin Portillo converted a 15th-minute penalty kick to put the host side up early. But unlike other defensive grinds between these two USL stalwarts, the scoring opportunities were there for both sides throughout the night. Christian Volesky notched a first-half equalizer and then Rhinos newcomer Gaoussou Bakayoko netted his first goal of the season in the final 10 minutes to pull off the team’s first road win in three months.

Three keys to a championship run:
1. Resourceful duo: Rhinos teams historically do not produce the high-flying offensive prowess that other franchises might enjoy, but this Rochester side features a tandem that seems to produce at a higher rate as the year moves on. The duo of Christian Volesky and Steevan Dos Santos is one of the more dangerous and tough-to-defend combos within the Eastern Conference. Volesky has notched 10 goals and Dos Santos has had more freedom to drop back into the midfield because of his teammate’s knack for goal. The Cape Verdean leads the Rhinos with five assists to go with eight tallies. Dos Santos in particular is one of the most difficult matchup problems for opposing defenses, with his height, speed, comfort with the ball at his feet and overall versatility.
2. Forbes in full force: He might not have the staggering numbers to show it, but midfielder Kenardo Forbes is one of the most crucial pieces to Rochester’s success. He’s utilized heavily in set pieces, brings plenty of pace into the attack and can create a little bit of chaos for opposing defenses. Forbes posted four assists and three goals while appearing in all 30 regular-season matches. Again, not the most eye-popping statistics, but his intangibles cannot be overlooked.
3. Defensive forte: Like any Bob Lilley-coached side, the defense continues to serve as Rochester’s backbone, and this season is similar to any other. Nobody was expecting the staggering shutout numbers put up in 2015, but Rochester delivered once again among the back line and the goalkeeping tandem of Tomas Gomez and Adam Grinwis. The Rhinos conceded only 25 goals this season, the third-lowest total in the USL behind only the regular-season champion New York Red Bulls II and the Western Conference’s Rio Grande Valley FC.

QUOTABLE:
“We don’t have as much depth as we did last year, but guys that are getting the opportunity are contributing. This group has to be diligent game in and game out, and we’re building. There is a belief.” – Rochester Rhinos Head Coach Bob Lilley, as told to the Democrat & Chronicle