The Riverhounds have faced a long, winding road throughout the first part of the 2017 season.

Season-ending injuries permanently removed Ben Swanson and Rich Balchan from the lineup. Other key contributors, such as Victor Souto and Kay Banjo, also missed significant time due to injury.

Most recently, goalkeeper Trey Mitchell sustained an injury during pregame warm ups before a home match against Tampa Bay on June 22. The Alta Loma, California native fell on his shoulder, which forced Keasel Broome into the starting lineup.

“I think pretty quickly we looked each other in the eye – the guys, the starters, the 18, each other and me – and said ‘everybody’s got to step up and let’s go,’” head coach Dave Brandt said.

Broome said he never faced a situation like this in his career, but he was more than ready for the challenge ahead of him. Despite the emergency notice, the keeper recorded five saves and a clean sheet in Pittsburgh’s 2-0 win against the Rowdies.

“It’s part of the game,” Broome said after the match. “Only one keeper gets to play and you have to wait your turn. It’s unfortunate how it happened because you never want someone to get hurt, especially your own teammate.”

This predicament serves as a microcosm for the Hounds in 2017. When players have exited the lineup due to suspension or injury, another player has been there to fill the void.

Although it is a problem hardly to be desired, Brandt prepared his team for challenges such as this during training camp and preseason play this past winter. He conjured the motto “push the wheel” for his team prior the 2017 campaign and it has been something that has resonated throughout the first half of the season.

The wheel in this phrase serves as something heavy and challenging to turn. If there are enough people working in unison, however, this wheel can be moved or pushed – and even gain momentum.

In 2017, injuries and lineup changes mirror this wheel as an obstacle the Hounds have needed to hurdle. Together, the team has pushed through these issues and remains very much in the hunt for a playoff spot, being only three points behind fourth place in the Eastern Conference as of June 28.

“Stuff happens to more teams than just our team,” Brandt said, “but it feels like we’ve been getting hit hard lately.”

As the Hounds complete a formidable first half of the 2017 campaign against the Charlotte Independence this Fourth of July, here is a look back at key moments of the season thus far.