WILMINGTON, NC – Seven years later, the Long Island Rough Riders raised the championship cup for the second time in franchise history, capturing the D3 Pro League Championship before a nearly sold out crowd of 5,768 fans at Legion Stadium on Fox Sports World. The Rough Riders topped the host Wilmington Hammerheads 2-1 with two unanswered goals from Carlos Mendez and Derrick Etienne in the second half.

Etienne's game-winner was assisted by Andrew Mittendorf, who dropped the ball off to him just inside the 18-yard box. Etienne spotted an opening and blasted the ball past Wilmington goalkeeper Billy Platz for the score. Etienne, who celebrated his goal with a cartwheel and a backflip, was named the D3 Pro League Championship Most Valuable Player.

At the conclusion of the first half that saw Long Island found themselves down 1-0 despite controlling the ball for a good portion of play and outshooting Wilmington, 10-6. The Hammerheads scored in the 40th minute following a clearance that Christopher Bagley received at midfield. Bagley then passed ahead to Anthony Maher, who snuck past the Riders last line of defense and put one past Billy Gatti from 15 yards out for Wilmington's only goal of the game.

Platz and Wilmington's goal post spoiled two of the Rough Riders first-half scoring opportunities.

Their first chance came on a perfectly placed ball to the front of the six-yard box from Edgar Bartolomeu to Derrick Etienne. Etienne one-timed the pass towards the right-corner of the net. However, Platz got a huge jump on the play and recorded a tremendous save.

Their second attempt came on a corner kick from Christer Arnesen to Scott Leber. The corner kick crossed the field to a vacant Leber, who had a wide open look, but could not convert as the ball banged off of the inside-corner of the post.

In the 58th minute of play after trailing 1-0, the Riders used a bit of deception to score on a 20-yard free kick. They lined up in an odd formation and defender Carlos Mendez take the kick and drive it home to tie the game at one.

Long Island’s first championship came in 1995, the first year of the division three league, which was then known as the Pro League. Saturday night’s victory makes the Rough Riders the only team which has won two championships at the third division level in USL history. The club went on to compete in the A-League the last five seasons, continuing to reach the postseason each year until 2001. The victory pushed the postseason record of Head Coach Paul Riley, who has been the club’s only coach over its nine-year history, to 17-9-1.