Box Score Men's College Soccer
Rider University 5, Saint Bonaventure 0
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ— Four months ago sophomore Christian Flath (Bargeshagen, Germany) was in a wheelchair.
On Sunday Flath had two goals and an assist to lead Rider to victory over St. Bonaventure. “I had a muscular problem in my back,” recalled the 2013 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year, which kept him out of spring workouts and completely off of his feet. “I finally began training again toward the end of the summer. I think I am fit now.”
Fit enough to rank among the top 25 in the nation in points per game and among the top 30 in Division I in goals per game. He now has 12 points in five games, with five goals in five games.
Rider junior Florian Valot (Monaco, France) also scored twice for the Broncs.
The victory was the third in a row for Rider (3-1-1). “We're doing things the right way right now,” said Rider head coach Charlie Inverso. “Today the game plan was to increase our time of possession and I think we did a good job with that.”
“We have a good streak going right now,” said Flath, a First Team All-MAAC selection last year and a Preseason All-MAAC pick this year. “We're hoping to keep it going and build some momentum for the conference games.”
The Broncs have now won eight of their last 12 home games. “We're starting to get used to Ben Cohen Field,” Inverso said after playing two exhibition games on the road and the first three games of the season away from home. “This is a great place to play and it's great to have the fan support. I wish we could play them all at home.”
“It feels great to play at home with all the fans, friends and family,” Flath said. “It's a good feeling.”
Valot scored his first goal as a Bronc in the eighth minute of play on an assist from senior Justin Gregory (Wall, NJ/Brookdale CC).
Sophomore Zach Bond (Holmdel, NJ) took a pass from Flath and made it 2-0 in the 26th minute. “Our scoring is balanced now, which is making a big difference,” Inverso said. “Opponents can't key on just one guy. Three different players scored for us today and five different players picked up assists. That part is really good.”
Flath took a direct kick from almost the sideline that bent into the goal for a 3-0 lead with 13 minutes left in the first half. “I kicked the ball as hard as I can, trying to find a teammate, but it went in,” said Flath, who now has 11 goals in 23 career games. “I wasn't trying to score on that.”
Flath scored his second goal of the game, 7:03 into the second half.
Valot took a pass from sophomore Dean Stephan (Millstone, NJ/Notre Dame) and completed the scoring on the day.
It was the second time this season that Rider tallied five goals in a game (5-2 win at LIU Brooklyn September 10). “That's going to be the game plan from now on, try to score five goals,” Inverso joked. “For the longest time we struggled to score so it was nice to get five again today.”
“It feels great to score five goals in a game,” Flath said. “I hope we can keep scoring like that.”
The last time Rider won by five goals or more was in 2002 when the Broncs defeated Iona 8-2.
Rider out-shot St. Bonaventure (0-3) 18-8.
Rider sophomore David Pastuna (Robbinsville, NJ) played the first 49 minutes and did not have to make a save. Pastuna came into the game ranked 50th in the nation in saves per game and fifth in the MAAC with 17 saves in four games.
Junior Ryan Baird (Plainfield, NJ/St. Peter's Prep), playing in his first game as a Bronc, played the final 40 minutes in goal and made three saves to preserve the shutout.
Rider travels to NJIT Wednesday. “We've got NJIT and then at St. Francis (NY) next weekend, two teams that we have not beaten since I've been here,” Inverso said. “It is going to be a good test for us before we start conference play.”
“We are fit and ready to play these three games in seven days,” Flath said. “It doesn't matter how often we have to play.”
As long as you don't hurt your back.
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