Men's College Soccer
Iona College 1, Rider University 0
LAWRENCEVILLE?Despite out-shooting the Gales 14-5, the Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game to Iona Friday. “We have to find a way to translate our good defense into scoring chances,” said Rider head coach Russ Fager. “We controlled the majority of the game.”
Rider (5-6-1, 0-2-1 MAAC) held Iona (6-6, 3-0 MAAC) to just five shots, but the Gaels scored mid-way through the first half on a goal by Aly Lo, his eighth of the season. “He (Lo) has been doing very well the past week,” Fager said. “He got a hat trick against Saint Peter's and he had two goals against Monmouth.”
Lo took a long pass from Michael Ferenci in the box and headed the ball into the net from 10 yards out. “When you give up a goal early in the game like that you are always struggling to come back,” Fager said. “I don't think we played with a lot of fire in the first half and that cost us.”
Junior goalkeeper Randall Zapolski (Lawrence) made one save for the Broncs, while Nils Binstock made 10 saves for Iona.
“I thought the second half was more indicative of how we were able to play,” Fager said. “We did a lot more controlling of the ball. We had a lot more of the play.”
Last season Rider lost 1-0 in overtime at Iona. The two teams have now met 10 times with Rider holding a 6-3-1 advantage in the series that began in 1997. “I'm very pleased with the fact that we held them to five shots because they are a good team,” Fager said. “They've played some good teams and they've won some games.”
Rider hosts Fairfield Sunday at 2pm. “Fairfield is good,” Fager said. “They have a strong team.”
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