Box Score Men's College Soccer
Rider University 2, Iona College 1
NEW ROCHELLE, NY—Every storm runs out of rain.
Rider's two-game losing streak came to an end Saturday with a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory at Iona.
The Broncs (6-4, 1-2 MAAC) won despite missing a pair of starting defenders and their leading scorer. “It was a tremendous win,” said Rider head coach Charlie Inverso. “We've been through some tough times. I'm really proud of these guys. This is the kind of win that can turn you around.”
Rider took a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute of play when senior Florian Valot (Monaco, France) scored on a penalty kick.
Valot, who missed the last four games with an injury, scored his fourth goal of the season, tied for team-high. “It is easy to make excuses but we've been crippled with injuries,” Inverso said, referring to having to play without his All-MAAC forward.
Rider's leading scorer, junior Christian Flath (Bargeshagen, Germany), is eight for eight in career penalty kicks but did not play Saturday due to an injury. “He got banged up last game,” Inverso said.
Rider took a 2-0 lead in the 20th minute of play when sophomore Elliott Otmani (LaCiotat, France) took a pass from Valot and scored his fourth goal of the season.
“Flo has not been the guy that we had last year up until today,” Inverso said of Valot, the 2014 MAAC and ECAC Rookie of the Year. “It is good to see him healthy again.”
Iona (5-5-1, 1-2 MAAC) cut the lead to 2-1 with just five seconds left in the first half on a penalty kick. “We gave up a silly goal,” Inverso said, “but we kept battling.
Iona out-shot Rider 16-13, including nine-eight in shots on goal.
Rider senior goalkeeper Ryan Baird (Plainfield, NJ/St. Peter's Prep) made a career-high eight saves. “Baird saved us today,” Inverso said. “He made at least three really great saves. One was a head ball that was going right into the corner.”
In front of Baird Rider was playing without two starting defenders. “We were playing with a back four that had never played together except for yesterday in practice,” Inverso said. “When your two starting centerbacks are not able to play, a guy like (junior) Dean Stephan (Millstone, NJ/Notre Dame), who didn't play a minute his freshman year and limited time last year, he just keeps plugging along and working hard. Today he started and played against their leading scorer and does a great job.”
Iona won five of six games with an overtime loss before losing 1-0 at Monmouth Wednesday.
The Broncs lost 1-0 to Iona last year at Rider. “When you play Iona it is always a good game,” Inverso said, “because they try to play the game the right way. Since I have been here we hadn't beat them, but it has always been a good game. To me this was a great win. This was an outstanding team that we beat.”
Rider had not defeated Iona since 2005. Iona holds a 10-7-1 advantage in the series that began in 1997.
Rider hosts Monmouth Wednesday evening. “Monmouth is the perennial king of the conference,” Inverso said. “I think it will be a good game. They try to do things the right way and we always like to play teams that do that.”
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