Women's College Soccer

Rider University 2, Iona College 0

NEW ROCHELLE, NY— Rider's on the Storm.

Playing through a steady rain, Rider defeated Iona in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game Saturday afternoon and the Broncs are now 4-1-1 in their last six games.

“It was tough conditions today with torrential rain the entire game,” said Rider head coach Drayson Hounsome. “There was a downpour the entire game and it was really a battle.”

Rider (6-3-1, 1-1-1 MAAC) got the only goal it would need off of a corner kick at the end of the first half, when freshman Maddie Lipton (Los Angeles, Calif. /El Camino Real Charter) took the corner and sophomore Priscilla Santos (Glendora, Calif./Glendora) headed it in. “Pricilla scored with a good header,” Hounsome said. 

The goal was the third of the season for Santos and the sixth in her career.

“We had multiple chances to finish the game off, we just couldn't do it,” Hounsome said.

Rider sophomore Michelle Iacono (Merrick, N.Y./Calhoun) scored with 2:15 left in the contest for the final score on a breakaway from 15 yards out.  “(senior) Kristen Clarke (Mastic, NY/Eastport South Manor) had a nice through ball to Michelle,” Hounsome said. “It was a nice goal by Michelle past the keeper.”

The goal was also the third for Iacono this year and also the sixth of her career.

Rider sophomore goalkeeper Bethany-May Howard (Glastonbury, England/Bridgwater College) made five saves for the shutout, her third. “Beth played very well,” Hounsome said.  “She didn't have to do too much but she did make a couple of good saves.

Rider out-shot Iona (5-7-1, 1-2-1 MAAC) 17-11.

Two of Rider's 11 shots on goal came from freshman Carissa Sanchez (Miami, Fla. /Archbishop McCarthy). “Carissa subbed in after about 25 minutes and played the rest of the game,” Hounsome said, “and she played very well.”

Rider defeated Iona 3-0 last season.  Rider and Iona have now met 18 times since the series began in 1997, with Rider holding a 10-6-2 advantage.

Rider hosts Canisius in a MAAC contest Wednesday afternoon at 4pm on the Ben Cohen Field. “We lost to Canisius last year (2-1) and they beat Monmouth this year (3-2) so they will be tough, but we're home and when we play well we can beat anybody,” Hounsome said. “We're not scared of anybody in the conference.”

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