SoccerWise - USL Final Preview w/Eric Dick (Pittsburgh Riverhounds)

Episode Date: November 21, 2025

The Riverhounds are heading to Tulsa for a final showdown in the USL Championship. And this time the star of the show is a goalkeeper as Eric Dick has won two shootouts in the playoffs and is yet to concede a goal. He sits down with David to talk about this run so far, the task in the final, and what Pittsburgh has come to mean to him.

Well, it's our favorite season of the year here at soccer-wise and kickback because it's championship season. We did our Bracktobers. Everyone put in their brackets for NWSL, MLS, USL Championship, USL League One. We've got the League One championship in the books. We've got the NWSL Championship on tap this weekend. And we have the USL Championship Cup as a part of that as well, because if you have championship in your name,

you just make things as difficult as possible. And we have two big teams ready to go to bat for this one, FC Tulsa and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. And with us, the star of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, very rarely, as that said, about a goalkeeper, but we've got Eric Dick with us of the stingy Pittsburgh Riverhound's backline. Hello, hello. And let's just say there is a lot more important players on this roster.

I'm just one of many, many awesome players on this roster. I appreciate the kind words. So talk a little bit about the experience of being a goalkeeper on a team that is making a run like this and not just this year over the two years with such a defensive identity and core. Yeah, I mean, it just makes my job a lot easier, you know, having a good defense in front of me. But I will say, like, here in Pittsburgh, it's not just the back line. It's, you know, from the striker, from the midfield, all the way back to the back line.

Like, where everybody defends in their individual roles. And so I just think it's a staple of Pittsburgh Riverhound soccer. And I've come to, you know, just become a part of that in these past two years and become an extension of that. and it just makes us a hard team to break down. And, you know, you're always in a game when you have a good defense. You mentioned, you know, last year in your first year, won the Golden Gloves Award as the best goalkeeper. And what was your thought as you entered Pittsburgh,

knowing that this identity does exist for this club? Yeah, I mean, obviously that's always going to be a perk for a goalie. You know what I mean? But it was simple. I mean, the coach did a good job laying out, they needed from me. They needed me to, you know, command the boss, come out for crosses, do the simple things, and make saves when I was called upon, and just be smart with my feet. And so, like, they're not asking anything that I feel uncomfortable doing. And I feel, like,

again, I just want to go out there every single week and just be an extension of an already amazing defensive plan. And that can lead to a talented attack as well. So it, excuse me, definitely, definitely, like, you know, was exciting to go into it. But I had to do my part for it to even, you know, work out. And luckily, I had a lot of help, you know, last year and this year, especially. You then have big opportunities when it comes to PK shootouts, which is really like goalkeeper's time. What's your mentality, your preparation? What do a shootout mean to you?

Yeah, I mean, they kind of make it no fun anymore because you can't really do do money, like crazy antics. You can't really do cartwheels. And like the first thing is not even good luck. It's you can't touch the crossbar. I'm like, come on. But no, I mean, but no, I mean, when you make it that far, you just know that the players did their work for 120 minutes. And you just as a goalie, you're like, all right, now it's my turn to sort of, you know, have their back as they've put in the work. And, you know, I have full faith in the players to go up and step.

step up and make their shots. And, yeah, I mean, we prepare it throughout the week. We do some, you know, research and we practice these things to be prepared for all scenarios. PK's included. And for me, I just go up there and, you know, just try to put the pressure on the kicker because, I mean, they're 12 yards away. I mean, they should, they should score. Like, it's just like the odds are very against us as goalkeepers. And so, again, just, you know, try to put the pressure on them, smile.

them or something like because that's the fun that we can have I guess but uh not and just you know pick aside and go and just try to make a save try to make a save to to keep us in the game let's stump for this right now what is the restrictions and what should goalkeepers be allowed to do you know I think up until up until the whistle like you know I mean up until the whistle like you know I mean up until the whistle I think they should be allowed to do whatever they want on the line you know what I mean like not approach the kicker yourself like if I want to do a cartwheel like you know I should be able to do a cartwheel not saying that I personally would do on it I know there are goleys out there that that would love to do it um but I get the no touch in the

crossbar because then they got to wait for it to stop vibrating because you know then the ball could hit it in the cross part I get that part but um I just uh yeah I mean I just say it because it is a scenario where the odds are so far against us it's like And now, like, you know, we get, obviously, it makes sense. Like, we got to have a foot on or, you know, behind the line to do it and stuff. So, um, I mean, I would love to if they would just change it back to the old style, PKs and the one B ones. I mean, that would be, if you want my opinion, like, I think we do that.

That would be really, really fun. The dribbling shootout with the five second clock. Yeah. I've seen so many videos of that. And I'm just like, gosh, it looks like, that looks electric. But, no, penalties are just one of those scenarios where you just got to have fun with it because it's not a scenario. You always as a goalkeeper, you know, get yourself into, but it's one where you can become a hero. And, like, you know, you just try to save one.

Just try to save one. Yeah. I do always wonder, what is the convo? Is the convo with the ref the same every time? Because the rules are what the, like, I find it so odd that there's even a need for the ref to come over and do that little speech and then have you guys shake hands. Yeah, I mean, I think the big point of emphasis is just make sure you're not leaving the line early. I think that's just that's what is emphasized more. Yeah, I mean, in the first shootout, that was the only time they mentioned the crossbar.

After that, in the second shootout that we had, they just mentioned the line and just this is where you stand off to the side. Like, you know, we're going to take the ball and give it back to the opponent. you don't have to do that like that kind of stuff um because then then you open the door with all these little antics with the soccer ball and stuff like that i don't know um but yeah most of it most of it is just don't come off your line and where you're supposed to stand when you're not in goal but um i wish a ref would just come over and just like change the moon to be like so guys you guys you guys having fun like you know we have a little lighthearted little combo or something like that uh well you didn't need the shootout for the

Eastern Conference Finals, it was a 1-0 win. Is there this feeling inside the group of like if we get one, that's all we need? Like we know that that gets us over the top? That's tough against a good opponent. You know what I mean? Like, I mean, Tulsa has a lot of good attack and, I mean, they're a great defense too. But as I think you've seen it a little bit, once playoffs happen in soccer, you know, it really is that that first goal is so important.

And, I mean, you see it in the results throughout the, the, the, the playoffs this year it's i mean there's been a lot of those you know one nothing or once you get the first goal like um so i don't think we will ever have the mentality that i mean one will win you the game right like one nothing is a win yes but it is a 90 minute game and um especially in a championship you know there's not going to be neither team are going to stop playing until that that final whistle so i don't think any lead is safe i don't think any mentality of saying you have a safe fleet is the right mentality. I think you always got to have the foot on the gas and stick to your tactics and team principles, whether you're down a goal, whether you're up a goal. Like, I don't think

the game, I mean, the game changes a little bit, but it shouldn't because you know that, you know, the other opponent has been here probably multiple times throughout their season and they're more than capable of getting a goal at any point. To the, this Tulsa team is sort of the lone high seed that has really been able to stay alive and make this run. Is there a feeling of underdog? Is there a feeling of going on the road? Like, what's the conversation inside the group about this matchup?

Yeah, I mean, I think it's, we are not, we are not thinking like that. I think, you know, if you look at purely the ratings, yeah, you know, or like the rankings, yes, we, we are the underdog. But I think when you get this far in the playoffs, you know, the playoffs are a summary of a full season, Right? So, like, there could be, I mean, there is an eighth Detroit went and beat Louisville, who had a historic season, right? Who's to say that Detroit was actually, like, deserving of that eighth seed, right? Like, they could have been much higher seed. It's just the summary of a full season.

So I think when you get to playoffs, everybody deserves to be there and everybody's sort of a little bit on an even playing field because anything can happen. Truly, anything can happen in the playoffs. But Tulsa has deserved or has, you know, earned. number one seed. I mean, 57 points is not easy to get in a, in a season. And man, do they have a talented roster? And now they're going to be at home with 9,000 plus, you know, of their fans behind them. So we have a task in front of us that is harder to complete than if we were hosting, you know, them at our place for sure. But, you know, we know that we've been in some hostile environments this year. We, we know that we're going to prepare like we always do. And we know

the talent that we have on our roster and honestly we're just excited you know you they could call us an underdog they can call us wherever we're the pittsburgh river hounds and we're ready to go compete for national or yeah national championship USL championship and uh i just um i think the guys are just excited yeah it has not been a straightforward season for you all you finished with the four seed one of the big pieces of news was court your head coach being put on administrative leave what that due to this group and maybe how surprised are you then to be where you are now after what you've had to go through i think we just have a yeah i mean the whole year has been sort of like up and down and that's soccer um there's been some good results some stuff that didn't go away

and then with uh coach the coach lilly situation thrown in uh when it did you know it's never easy but i think because we have a team full of experienced leaders and and and experienced soccer players and the other coaches ready to step up. I truly, like, it's been a seamless sort of transition of, like, we didn't have time to sort of, like, wonder, like, what's going on and stuff like that. Like, we were just, like, we got to handle what we can handle, and that's our effort on the practice field, our effort on the game field, and we still have a season to play. No matter what is thrown our way, we know that at the end of the day, we're Pittsburgh

Riverhound soccer players, and on the weekend, we got to go and try to get a win for for the Pittsburgh River Hounds organization. So I think the leadership has really shown through there, and we've taken it just game by game, and we've prepared, I mean, the same way week by week and just grinded our way into the four seed, and we're fortunate enough to now be playing for a championship. So I think big props have to be to the coaches

and the leaders in the locker room of just making sure everybody stays on the same page. and knows that our focus remains the same. You obviously will be going on the road for this championship game, but you were lucky enough to get to host up until now. What has been your relationship with the Pittsburgh fans? And what is it like on the river at night for a playoff game? It seems like one of the most special environments in the U.S.

Yeah, I mean, when I was sort of in the offseason two years ago, like, you know, I got a call about this potentially being a spot to come and try out for it. you know, I didn't really know much about it. And I just, you Google Pittsburgh Riverhounds and that stadium's right there. That stadium's right there on the river. And I'm like, this is gorgeous. Like, this is unreal. And then you get there and you're like, wow, pictures don't even do it justice.

Like it is the coolest stadium I've ever played in. And, and like the fans are just diehard fans. Like Pittsburgh's, Pittsburgh fans are just ridiculous. Like, they love their sports. And, you know, I've had the luxury of being able to go. to a Penn's game and a Pirates game. Haven't made it to the Steelers game yet, but they are just die-hard sports fans.

And that pulls through into our games as well. Like, they just show up, and the Steel Army shows up every single week and just cheers relentlessly. And then, you know, and then after, one of the traditions I love is, you know, we let kiddos and families onto the field after, and we get to meet them, sign autographs and everything.

And you just hear their excitement. of the experience that they've had, I think our Tuffy and our ownership has done an amazing job of making Pittsburgh a really cool place to come just watch a game and support the team. And so we have a lot of people that do a lot of work on a weekly basis to put together an amazing atmosphere at Highmark Stadium. And I mean, it's so awesome to be able to play in front of 5,000, 6,000 people every single week and me as someone who just gets amped up in in terms of when you get in like an atmosphere right like atmosphere plays a huge role in sports i i can't think of a better one and we're very very

lucky and fortunate that the i mean the past what like three four weeks we've been at home like yeah and they've literally pulled us over the finish line because our fans are just amazing looking ahead if you weren't able to get this done what would a championship mean to this group what would it mean to bring it back to those fans like you know it's a long year but for a lot of people it's a long wait a long career like as you as you head into this big game what do you think about I think about the you know I think about the people that have come before me the the the people that have set the foundation of this of this club and then I think about the future that this club wants to get to um with the new stadium plans like you know goal to be in the division

one like I think about everything that Tuffy has put into this year in and year out the coaches the the medical staffs that have helped us the marketing teams like everybody that's worked hard um like we want it as players but I know they want it as as much as us and so and then you look at the fans right there are fans that have been supporting us for for years far earlier than I even showed up, or just general Pittsburgh sports fans. And I think that anytime you have a chance to win a trophy and just bring it back and share it with everybody, I think it's such a, it's such a cool experience. And I think that is something that is motivating us as well, because it's not only for us, not only for our families, it's for all of Pittsburgh to come

and enjoy this hopefully championship. And so I think that's a, you could call it a responsibility, but just sort of like an honor to really, like once we get out on that field, we're not only representing our organization and ourselves, but we're representing the whole city of Pittsburgh, and we want to do them justice and hopefully bring home a championship for them so we can all party together in the city of the three rivers and all the bridges and everything.

We'll just lock down the city and hopefully have a formal party. I can only imagine a Pittsburgh party is one that we all want to be at. The odd part of these games is you spend all year playing these games and getting to know these teams. And now the championships against the team you don't know. What has tape been like? What is the conversation about what this Tulsa team provides and how you go into this matchup? Yeah, it is weird. I think they're one of two or three teams that we didn't face this year.

And, you know, and meanwhile, while we, I think we played Rhode Island this past year. Like, we played them like three or four times. Right. You know, excuse me, it's one of those scenarios where, again, you just have to look at video, as you said, and we will analyze their attack, their defense, how they go about doing things. And then we go out on the field and try to mimic it and just try to see how what our game plan is against them.

And that's what we have to go off of is just video and scouting. And our coaches are tirelessly going over that and relaying. that to us and we have a responsibility in our own time to know what our roles are going to be and watch some of the things that they send us and I think for us it's just a matter of you know having the plan that they they set forth and then we just got to go execute it and it's something that we've been doing better and better I think as this season has gone on we can be a lot better but I think in soccer there's never a full you know 90 where you can look at and be like you've been perfect the whole 90 right but

I think that's our goal, and I think we'll be prepared with video and scouting and just practicing as we always have. Again, it's a big game, but it's just another game, and there's not really anything that we have to change in terms of preparing. It's another opponent that's trying to beat us, and we have to go in there and take it from them. One-on-one, Taylor-Kilera, one of the top goalscores in the league will lead the front for this Tulsa group. as you prepare for a striker like that what are you looking for what are you sort of thinking about yeah um you know i i sort of if you watch like you know videos of strikers you can sort of see i don't know like scenarios and tendencies in certain scenarios which foot they like to go in certain scenarios stuff like that but you also as a goalkeeper you know you could focus directly on them

but you also like you can focus on ways to defend them by like communicating with your your back line and like who's stepping here and then who has to cover this run if like if he goes in the hole like who's running through like stuff like that so I think for us it's it's not only me and the back line and the whole team looking at specific players but also just you know the team around that specific player and how we're going to go about defending them in certain situations and just overall and limiting their effect on the game as much as we can because great players find a way to have an impact on a game no matter how much you, you know, plan for them and he's had an incredible year and he's going to find

his moments in the game. And we just have to do our best to limit them as best we can. And so my part is just watching video and just, again, staying true to who I am as a goalie and trusting my fundamentals of the things that I practice and just communicating with the back line and trying to make sure that we're a sound defensive group for as much as the full 90 or 120 that we need to be. It has been one of the most consistent clubs in all of U.S.L over the last 20 years, looking for a huge moment this weekend with a championship and a chance to shut down all the bridges and rivers and celebrate it.

Eric Tick will be between the six for that one. Good luck. Thank you for joining us. And hopefully we'll talk to you again on the other side of a success. final. Thank you very much for your time. Appreciate it.