Box Score Men's College Soccer
Rider University 3, Bryant University 2 (2OT)
SMITHFIELD, RI— When someone is referred to as a 'bulldog', it means they are tenacious, they won't give up. They are courageous and are noted for their stubborn tenacity.
On Sunday afternoon, it was the Rider Broncs who were the bulldogs against the Bryant Bulldogs.
“Today was a good character win,” said Rider head coach Charlie Inverso. “We didn't give up. We were tenacious.”
Sophomore Elliott Otmani (LaCiotat, France) scored two goals, including the game winner with just 21 seconds left in the second overtime period, to lead Rider to victory at Bryant.
It was Otmani who was THE bulldog against the Bulldogs.
“Right after regulation Elliott addressed the team and told them to be calm, that we were going to get this,” Inverso said. “It was ironic that he was the one who pulled it out.”
Otmani, in his first season at Rider after attending the University of Nice, took a pass from junior Zach Bond (Holmdel, NJ) and scored from close range for the Golden Goal.
“This was the best I've seen Bond,” Inverso said about his junior forward, who had six of Rider's 15 shots. It was Bond who scored the game-winner at Bryant in 2013.
But this time it was Otmani.
Otmani scored to give Rider a 2-0 lead with 14 minutes left in the second half on an assist from freshman Joe Panuccio (Mechanicsburg, PA/Mechanicsburg).
Junior Christian Flath (Bargeshagen, Germany) scored on a penalty kick in the 19th minute of play to give the Broncs a 1-0 lead. For Flath, it was his eighth career goal on a PK in eight attempts.
Bryant (1-3-2) scored twice in a span of 66 seconds to tie the score at 2-2 with less than 6:01 left in the second half. “They scored two really nice goals,” Inverso said. “The goal that tied the game was a world-class goal, a volley into the upper corner.”
That is when Rider out-bulldogged the Bulldogs. “Instead of quitting, we came back. It was a good character win,” Inverso repeated.
Both teams had 15 shots. Rider (4-2) had nine shots on goal compared to seven by Bryant.
Rider out-shot Bryant 7-1 in the first half, but the host Bulldogs out-shot Rider 10-4 in the second half. “We played about as good a first half as we could play,” Inverso said. “We totally dominated and we applied all of the principles we've been talking about as far as how we want to play.”
Rider senior goalkeeper Ryan Baird (Plainfield, NJ/St. Peter's Prep) made five saves.
The Bulldogs picked up their first win of the season last Sunday, defeating Buffalo 1-0. “Bryant is a damn good team,” Inverso said. “They were a penalty kick away from going to the NCAAs last year. All things said and done, this was a good win for us.”
The Broncs are now 3-0-1 against Bryant, defeating the Bulldogs 3-0 at Rider last year and 2-1 here in Smithfield in 2013.
Rider returns home to host NJIT Wednesday.
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