Men's College Soccer
University of Pittsburgh 1, Rider University 0
MOON TOWNSHIP, PA?The Broncs come home with a .500 record after losing to Pitt Sunday in the second round of the RMU Invitational Presented by America's Best Value Inn, Hometown Pizza, Tyler Mountain Water and 11ManGang Equipment, hosted by Robert Morris University.
“I think the guys really game together as a team this weekend,” said Rider head coach Russ Fager. “We stayed with two teams that we probably didn't know we could stay with. A lot of young players got a lot of time on the field.”
Panther E.J. McCormick trapped Matt Baker's shot from 30 yards, turned and took a left-footed shot. The quick turn and hit found the left side of the net, giving Pitt a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute. “It probably shouldn't have been a goal, but they were in the right place at the right time,” Fager said.
Rider (1-1) senior goal keeper Randall Zapolski (Lawrence, N.J./Lawrence) made five saves. “Randy had another very strong performance in net,” Fager said. Zapolski and junior Nico Tramontana (Vineland, N.J./Sacred Heart) were named to the All-Tournament team.
Pitt (1-1) out-shot Rider 17-6, including 11-1 in the first half. “The first half we really didn't knock the ball around very well,” Fager said. “Pitt came at us with a bit more speed and a bit more size then we're used to.”
In the second half the shots were 6-5 Pitt. “The second half was a whole different game,” Fager said. “We changed a lot of things at half time. Not really personnel, but mental attitude, and the game was probably 60-40 us the second half.”
Of the shots that were on goal, Rider had five and Pitt had six. Pitt had four corner kicks to Rider's two.
“We don't feel down coming home,” Fager said. “The second half of the second game was great and we're going to build off of that.”
The Broncs travel to Colgate Friday to take on Central Arkansas in the first round of the Raiders Adidas Fall Classic.
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