After a disappointing 1997 season, the Rhinos revamped their roster before the 1998 season by signing several marquee free agents, including Yari Allnutt, Pat Onstad, Scott Schweitzer, and Darren Tilley. With a retooled roster, the Rhinos started the season 13-0, and finished the regular season atop the A-League with a record of 24-4.
In the postseason, the Rhinos swept the competition as they beat the Charleston Battery in the one-game first round, swept the Montreal Impact and Hershey Wildcats in consecutive best-of-three series, and then defeated the Minnesota Thunder 3-1 in the A-League Championship in front of 13,772 fans at Frontier Field.
In the U.S. Open Cup, the Rhinos were eliminated when they lost to the Columbus Crew 2-1 in overtime.
Along with the league championship, individual honors were aplenty for the Rhinos in 1998. Pat Ercoli was named A-League Coach of the Year, Scott Schweitzer was named A-League Defender of the Year, and Pat Onstad was named A-League Goalkeeper of the Year. In addition, Onstad and Schweitzer were named to the All-A-League First-Team, along with defender Craig Demmin, midfielder Yari Allnutt, and forward Darren Tilley.
05-02
05-08
05-12
Raleigh 1-2 Rochester
Tilley 22', Allnutt 54'
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Attendance: 853
Charleston 0-3 Rochester
Allnutt 6', Miller 77', Kirmse 89'
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Attendance: 1,848
Jacksonville 0-1 Rochester
Tilley 29'
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Attendance: 1,050
05-16
Rochester 2-0 Connecticut Hardy 33', Miller 88'
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Attendance: 13,043
05-22
05-29
05-31
Rochester 3-0 Worcester
Allnutt 50', Miller 69', DaSilva 87'
Attendance: 10,830
Worcester 0-3 Rochester
Miller 2', 83', Steenkamp 47'
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Attendance: 400
Connecticut 0-1 Rochester
Allnutt 98'
OT Win
Attendance: 1,994
06-05
Rochester 2-1 Long Island
Allnutt 1', Tilley 26'
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Attendance: 8,307
06-07
06-14
06-19
06-21
Rochester 1-0 Staten Island
Miller 27'
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Attendance: 8,483
Montreal 0-1 Rochester
Daligcon 69'
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Attendance: 2,458
Rochester 5-0 California
Tanner 22', McKay 39', Glenn 76', Britton 78', Daligcon 84'
Attendance: 10,880
06-25
06-27
Connecticut 1-2 Rochester
Kelly 88' (OG), Goal credited to Shootout Win
SO Win 3-2
Attendance: 6,872
Long Island 2-1 Rochester
Daligcon 8'
SO loss 3-2
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Attendance: 3,471
07-10
Rochester 4-0 Atlanta
Glenn 20', 70', Tilley 48', 72'
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Attendance: 12,721
07-12
Rochester 4-1 Staten Island
Tilley 8', 12', Allnutt 32', 84'
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Attendance: 10,902
07-19
Toronto 2-1 Rochester
Tilley 61'
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Attendance: 2,754
Rochester 6-0 Montreal
Glenn 46', 73', Tilley 8', Allnutt 22, 48', Daligcon 57'
Attendance: 13,427
08-14
08-16
Rochester 3-0 Hampton Roads
Tilley 65', Glenn 81', Zavala 83'
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Attendance: 12,452
Rochester 1-2 Montreal
Tilley 80'
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Attendance: 12,061
08-30
09-01
Rochester 1-2 US Pro-40 Select
Daligcon 85'
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Attendance: 12,311
Rochester 7-1 Worcester
Tilley 31', 59', Allnutt 59', 72', DaSilva 37', Kirmse 81', Steenkamp 90'
Attendance: 9,190
07-30
Rochester 1-0 Hersey
Glenn 8'
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Attendance: 12,672
Rochester 4-0 Long Island
Tilley 4', DaSilva 16', Allnutt 21', Britton 79'
Attendance: 13,313
08-22
08-21
California 0-3 Rochester
Tilley 17', Allnutt 63', Tanner 90'
Attendance: 1,625
San Francisco 0-4 Rochester
Tilley 43', 79', 83', Daligcon 73'
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Attendance: 695
09-04
09-06
Rochester 2-0 Staten Island
Glenn 23', Tilley 42'
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Attendance: 11,236
Toronto 2-3 Rochester
Glenn 8', Tilley 56', 78'
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Attendance: 11,957
Playoffs
09-12
Rochester 3-0 Charleston
Allnutt 22', Glenn 36', Kirmse 82'
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Attendance: 9,673
09-23
09-20
Montreal 2-2 (AET) Rochester
2-3 (P)
Tilley 16', Tanner 21'
(Zavala, Schweitzer, Tilley)
Attendance: 4,360
Rochester 4-1 Montreal
Steenkamp 45', 48', Schweitzer 61', Allnutt 68'
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Attendance: 8,212
09-26
Rochester 3-1 Hersey
Glenn 3', Tilley 61', 89'
Attendance: 8,212
10-17 (Final)
10-03
Hersey 0-1 Rochester
Tilley 75'
Attendance: 1,847
Rochester 3-1 Minnesota
Tilley 20', 21', 60'
Attendance: 13,772