Box Score Men's College Soccer
Quinnipiac University 2, Rider University 1
HAMDEN, CT— Overlooking the Quinnipiac soccer field here in the Mount Carmel section of Hamden is the Sleeping Giant Mountain, which receives its name from its anthropomorphic resemblance to a slumbering human figure.
On Saturday, it was the Rider offensive that remains a sleeping giant.
The Broncs (4-5-2, 1-3 MAAC) entered the game ranked 14th in the nation in scoring offense, but has scored just two goals in the last three games.
Despite out-shooting the host Bobcats 21-5, Rider lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game at Quinnipiac Saturday afternoon. “We were getting behind them and creating chances,” said Rider head coach Charlie Inverso. “I thought we played a great game.”
A great game, but a loss.
“No disrespect to Quinnipiac,” Inverso said, “but we dominated from start to finish. We were in their end the entire first half. It is a frustrating game sometimes.”
Rider sophomore Zach Bond (Holmdel, NJ) scored with less than three minutes left to cut the lead to 2-1 but that was as close as the Broncs could get. “He got a scrappy goal for us,” Inverso said.
The defending MAAC Champion Bobcats (5-4-2, 2-0-1) took a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute of play and went up 2-0 in the 27th minute. “We lost concentration and they scored two great goals,” Inverso said.
Rider lost the 2013 season finale to Quinnipiac in double overtime, the only other meeting between these two teams.
Rider hosts Niagara Wednesday at 2pm. “I am so optimistic of what we can do,” Inverso said. “I think we will be ready to go on Wednesday. We have a lot of soccer left in us. Today we hit posts, but that is the frustrating part of our game. There have been too many times this year that we've out-played out opponent and not come away with the win.”
It is time for the sleeping giant to awake.
-ru-
