Men's College Soccer
Temple University 4, Rider University 0
AMBLER, PA-Sometimes one play can turn around the entire outcome of a game. Call it the 'Butterfly Effect."
Six minutes into a scoreless game between two winless teams, the Broncs had the ball in the attacking goal box when the Rider forward was taken down. No whistle was blown, play continued. The host Owls controlled the ball, went down the field and scored to take a 1-0 lead.
"That was very deflating," said Rider head coach Russ Fager. "Sometimes when things like that happen you don't give it that much thought but then it becomes devastating. We probably should have had a PK (penalty kick) and instead they come down the field 90 yards and scored a goal."
That was the only goal Temple (1-3-2) would need, as the Broncs were shut out for the fourth time this year.
Temple, who had scored just two goals in its first five games of the season, scored three times in the first 13 minutes against Rider Wednesday.
"We lost our two center backs," Fager said. "Both had to come off the field not feeling well and we were left trying to figure out which way to go."
The Owls made it 4-0 in the 61st minute of play.
Temple out-shot Rider (0-6) 22-5, with a 10 to 1 advantage in shots on goal.
Rider sophomore Dan Friga (Clifton, N.J./Passaic County Tech) had the shot on goal for the Broncs. "He had a decent game today," Fager said.
"I felt Bradley (senior Jim Bradley of Washington Twp., N.J./Washington Township) gave us a very good effort today," Fager said. "He played well, probably the best of anybody today."
Sophomore Jason Giordano (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) made his first collegiate start in the Rider goal and made six saves. "It is kind of hard to say how well Jason did when you have people in the box, undefended, taking point blank shots," Fager said. "It wouldn't be fair to try to access how he did other than to say he gained some valuable game time and in the second half he had more support on defense."
Rider sophomore goalkeeper Matt Perrella (North Brunswick, N.J./N. Brunswick), who started Rider's first five games this year, injured his shoulder last week and was unable to play.
Rider and Temple are former East Coast Conference rivals. Rider and Temple have now met 31 times since the series began in 1961 with Rider winning five and there have been two ties. The last time Rider defeated Temple was 2000. The last time these two teams met was 2008, a 3-0 Temple win. Temple won 2-1 in 2007 and the two teams tied in 2001.
Rider hosts NJIT on Saturday. "I had a chance to see them play last week," Fager said of the Highlanders. "They are a very fast team and relatively big. We're going to make some defensive changes. They are going to come at us with four or five very talented players."
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