Men's College Soccer
Rider Announces 2015 Schedule
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ—With nine games on Ben Cohen Field, where the Broncs were 6-2 last year and have won 12 games in the last two seasons, the Rider University men's soccer team will begin the 2015 season at home August 31.
“The schedule is laid out pretty well for us,” said head coach Charlie Inverso, “in terms of home games. We've done very well here over the years.”
The Broncs' schedule extends into November, with the 11-team Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Tournament at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex in Florida November 5-9.
Rider will host Saint Joseph's Monday evening in the season opener. “We're excited for the season opener,” said Inverso, who led the Broncs to a third place finish in the MAAC in 2014. “They are a good team that plays hard. It is going to be a good test for us.”
Rider and St. Joe's tied last year and the Broncs defeated the Hawks in their last visit to Lawrenceville, 2013.
Rider travels to Seton Hall for a Friday night game September 4. In 2011 Inverso made his Rider coaching debut with a victory at Seton Hall. “The miracle on grass,” Inverso joked about upsetting the Pirates in his debut. “I got my first Rider win against my mentor (Seton Hall coach Manfred Schellscheidt).”
The Broncs go to Temple September 4. “Temple has a good grass field to play on,” Inverso said. “We've played well against them but haven't been able to beat them.” Rider's last victory over the Owls was in 2000.
Once the students return to campus the Broncs host LIU Brooklyn September 10 for a Thursday night game and La Salle September 15 in an afternoon game. “LIU had a great recruiting class,” Inverso said. “That should be an exciting one with the strong support we get from the students.”
The Broncs will make a Sunday afternoon trip to New England to take on Bryant September 20 before hosting NJIT for a Wednesday night game September 23. Rider defeated Bryant home and away over the last two years. Rider has not played La Salle since 1982. Rider and La Sale were East Coast Conference rivals from 1974 until 1982.
MAAC play begins on Alumni Day, Saturday September 26, hosting Marist. Rider defeated Marist in the regular season finale in 2014, clinching third place. “That was the win that sealed the playoff berth last year,” Inverso remembered. “We have a great alumni group coming back that day so it is a great way to start off the conference play.”
Rider hosts defending MAAC Champion Monmouth in a Wednesday night game, October 7. “With Monmouth at night it should be a great crowd,” Inverso said. “It should be a showcase New Jersey game.”
The Broncs travel north in mid-October to play MAAC games at Siena on Saturday and at Niagara on Wednesday.
The regular season closes with a pair of home games, hosting Canisius in a Wednesday afternoon game and Quinnipiac on Halloween night. “Hosting Quinnipiac on Senior Night will be a special night,” Inverso said.
The 2015 regular season begins and ends at home, with 15 games in between that will determine Rider's seed in the 11-team Championship Tournament.
“We're excited about going to Disney,” said Inverso, who led the Broncs to a victory at Disney in the 2011 MAAC Tournament. “It is an action-packed week and it is a tough tournament, having to win three or four games to get the NCAA berth. That is going to be a challenge.”
-schedule enclosed-
