Box Score Men's College Soccer-MAAC Semifinals
Rider University 3, Siena College 2
ORLANDO, FLORIDA, --The Rider University men's soccer team has advanced to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Game with a victory over Siena in the semifinals Sunday. “This was a good win,” said Rider head coach Charlie Inverso. “It was a good team effort and we are proud to be playing in the Championship Game.”
Rider (13-5-1), the second seed in the 11-team Championship Tournament, will now take on the top seed, Monmouth (14-3-4), Monday at high noon on ESPN3 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
Rider has now reached the MAAC Title Game four times, having won it twice.
The 13 wins is the most for Rider since finishing the 1998 season in the NCAA Tournament with 13 wins. Rider won a program record 15 games in 1997. That season also ended in the NCAA Tournament.
In the semifinal win over the sixth seed, Siena (8-10-3), sophomore Elliott Otmani (LaCiotat, France) scored two goals and sophomore Jose Aguinaga (Madrid, Spain) had a goal and an assist. “Elliot was great,” Inverso said.
Aguinaga, a First Team All-MAAC selection, scored in just the fifth minute of play to give the Broncs an early lead. “Getting that early goal was huge,” Inverso said. “We always talk about how important it is to not have to chase the game.”
Otmani scored to give Rider a 2-0 lead in the 17th minute of play on assists from senior Justin Veltri (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) and Aguinaga. “Getting that second goal was just what we needed,” Inverso said. “Elliot's goal was huge.”
Otmani gave Rider a 3-1 lead with just 6:16 left to play on an assist from senior Rory Duffy (Plainfield, NJ/St. Peter's Prep).
Aguinaga leads Rider with 22 points and eight assists. Otmani has seven goals in 16 games as a Bronc.
Siena cut the lead to 3-2 with 5:18 left to play on a corner kick. “We had only given up one corner kick goal all year,” Inverso said. “Today we gave one up at a bad time.”
The Saints cut the lead to 2-1 just 1:46 into the second half. “That goal to start the second half was the worst possible thing that could have happened,” Inverso said.
Rider senior goalkeeper Ryan Baird (Plainfield, NJ/St. Peter's Prep) made four saves. “Baird had a couple of big saves,” Inverso said. Baird now has a 10-2 record in the Rider net with five shutouts. He has made 52 saves while allowing 15 goals in 13 games.
Rider enters the Title Game 8-1-1 in its last 10 games.
Siena out-shot Rider 11-9. “I cannot say enough about the respect I have for Siena,” Inverso said, “the way they played their third game in four days. They continued to play hard. They made us work for it, that's for sure.”
This is Rider's tenth MAAC Championship Tournament in the 19 years in the conference. Rider is now 9-7-1 in MAAC postseason play.
Rider defeated Siena 3-2 in overtime this season in Loudonville. In that game Aguinaga scored twice, including the Golden Goal in overtime.
Siena holds a 10-8-4 advantage in the series.
Rider tied Monmouth 1-1 at Rider on October 17. “That was a great game,” Inverso said. “I think it will be a great game again tomorrow.”
The MAAC Title Game can be seen on ESPN3.
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