Men's College Soccer
Niagara University 7, Rider University 1
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY?The Broncs lost at Niagara in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game Sunday. “When you play a good team like this and for about 23 of the minutes you have the better of them, you don't understand why you lose as bad as you do,” said Rider head coach Russ Fager.
“Niagara is good, but are they six goals better than us?” asked Fager. “Today they were but I don't think they really are. They are playing very well right now and we are not.”
For Rider (1-9-2, 0-2 MAAC) junior Nico Tramontana (Vineland, N.J./Sacred Heart) got the Broncs on the board, cutting the lead to 4-1 10 minutes before half time with his second goal of the season off of a free kick.
“Nico took a direct kick from about 22 yards out and he struck it well,” Fager said. “He put the ball exactly where he had to.”
The host Purple Eagles (7-3-2, 1-1 MAAC) took a 1-0 lead 22 minutes into the game on a give and go, scored on a rebound four minutes later, took a 3-0 lead just a minute later on a long breakaway, and went up 4-0 on their 10th shot of the game in the 30th minute. “We just broke down,” Fager said. “The first 22 minutes we probably had the better chances. They picked us a part for eight minutes.”
Niagara scored the final goal with one second left in the game.
Rider senior goalkeeper Randall Zapolski (Lawrence, N.J./Lawrence) made three saves in 40 minutes of action. Junior Dylan Hastings (Tabernacle, N.J./Rutgers) went into the Rider goal for three minutes before receiving a red card. “We were playing a man down for most of the game,” Fager said.
Freshman goalkeeper Christopher Pimentel (Brick/Brick Memorial) made his Rider debut in the final two minutes of the first half and made a save. Pimentel played the entire second half and finished with four saves. “Chris did well for himself today,” Fager said. “He came in cold and stopped a direct kick and played well. He got a chance to get in and show what he could do and he held his own.”
Niagara scored on Pimentel four minutes into the second half on a high, looping shot, and made it 6-1 with nine minutes left in the contest.
Niagara out-shot Rider 21-11. Sophomore Andrew Cotes (Selden, N.Y./Newfield) had six of Rider's 11 shots.
Rider and Niagara have now met 12 times with Rider holding a 6-5-1 advantage in the series that began in 1997. Rider defeated Niagara 2-0 last season in Lawrenceville.
Rider returns home to host Siena in a MAAC game Friday at 4pm. “I think it is going to be a good game,” Fager said. “They are going to come in hungry. We wanted to get a few points this weekend and didn't, so know we need to get points somewhere else, beginning with Friday.”
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