Men's College Soccer
Rider's Perrella MAAC Rookie of Week

LAWRENCEVILLE-Rider University freshman Matt Perrella was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Soccer Rookie of the Week for all games played the final week of the regular season.

Perrella (North Brunswick, N.J./N. Brunswick), a 6'0", 175 lbs. goalkeeper, led the Broncs to a pair of victories last week, at Manhattan and at Saint Peter's.

In the season finale Sunday, a 1-0 overtime victory at Saint Peter's, Perrella played  99:41 shutout minutes against the team that was coming off a 2-0 victory over first-place Loyola,  making five saves.

"Perrella played fabulously in goal," Rider head coach Russ Fager said after the Saint Peter's game. "He made some big saves, some phenomenal saves in overtime."

On Friday, Perrella allowed just one goal and made five saves in 3-1 win at Manhattan.

"Matt did a great job in goal," Fager said after Manhattan game.

For the week Perrella played 189 minutes, allowing just one goal while making 10 saves.

Perrella finished his rookie season with a 4-5 record for the 6-11 Broncs with a 1.98 goals against average.

Although the shutout at Saint Peter's was Perrella's first at Rider, he is no stranger to them.  At North Brunswick High School he compiled 11 shutouts for the GMC Division Champs and the Central Jersey Group 4 Champs last year, earning All-State honors. In his scholastic career he compiled 26 shutouts in two years.

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