Men's College Soccer
Manhattan College 3, Rider University 2
LAWRENCEVILLE?Rider junior Nico Tramontana (Vineland, N.J./Sacred Heart) compiled a goal and an assist but it was not enough as the Broncs fell to Manhattan in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game Friday.
“We scored a couple goals but we gave up one more than we should have,” said Rider head coach Russ Fager. “We hit a cross bar, we hit an upright, and those are the kind of things that come back and bite you in the end.”
Manhattan (3-12-1, 1-4-1 MAAC) scored in the 19th minute of play before Tramontana fed freshman Sal Lubrano (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central) with a long pass, allowing Lubrano to collect his first collegiate goal, tying the score at 1-1 with nine minutes left in the first half.
“To be honest, I was shocked that it went in,” Lubrano said of his first collegiate goal. “It tied the score so I was pretty excited. Once I got the ball I took the guy one-on-one. I saw a shot was there and I took it, near post, and it went in. I played left back in high school so I didn't score much then either, maybe three or four goals a year.”
“I though Sal had a good game,” Fager said.
The Jaspers took a 2-1 lead five minutes into the second half before Tramontana scored his team-high fourth goal of the season on an assist from sophomore Andrew Cotes (Selden, N.Y./Newfield). Cotes leads the team with nine points. “Nico played well,” Fager said, “and Cotes played very well. Nico, Cotes and Sal all played very well and they got the rewards that go along with it.”
Manhattan out-shot Rider (2-13-2, 1-6 MAAC) 12-11. “I felt it was a pretty even game,” Fager said.
Rider freshman goalkeeper Christopher Pimentel (Brick/Brick Memorial) made three saves.
The Broncs and Jaspers tied 2-2 last year at Manhattan. Rider and Manhattan have now met 13 times with Rider holding a 6-3-4 advantage in the series that began in 1997. Rider defeated Manhattan 2-0 in Lawrenceville on senior day in 2006.
The Broncs return home to host Saint Peter's Sunday at 2pm.
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