Box Score Men's College Soccer
Saint Peter's University 2, Rider University 0
JERSEY CITY, NJ— Like sands through the hOURglass, so are the MAAC games on the Rider schedule.
After building a 5-2 non-conference record, the Broncs are seeing the days and games passing in the conference portion of the schedule like sand through the hOURglass.
In a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game, as well as an hOURglass Rivalry game, the Broncs fell to Saint Peter's Wednesday afternoon to fall to 0-2 in the MAAC.
“This is not the end of our season,” said Rider head coach Charlie Inverso. “This is the beginning of our comeback. We're a good team.”
The Rider offense, which led the entire nation in regular season goals last year, petered out, as the Broncs were shutout for the second consecutive game. “We've had bad luck all year putting away our chances,” Inverso said.
With both teams playing a man down due to red cards, Saint Peter's (5-3-1, 2-0 MAAC) took a 1-0 lead in the 71st minute of play and scored again just four minutes later.
The host Peacocks out-shot Rider (5-4, 0-2 MAAC) 11-7, including 7-2 in shots on goal. “If we put way a couple of the chances we had in the first half then we come away winning this game,” Inverso said.
Rider junior goalkeeper David Pastuna (Robbinsville, NJ) made five saves.
The game featured 30 fouls, seven yellow cards and three red cards, between the two teams. “For the kind of team we are, there were very difficult playing conditions here today,” Inverso said.
The loss was the second in a row for Rider, the first time the Broncs lost consecutive games this season.
The last time Saint Peter's defeated Rider was during the 2012 season.
The last time Rider traveled to Jersey City the Broncs and Peacocks tied 1-1. The Broncs defeated Saint Peter's 4-0 at Rider last season. Rider holds a 22-12-2 advantage in the series that began in 1960.
Saint Peter's has now won four consecutive games, having recently defeated MAAC-rival Quinnipiac 2-0.
Rider plays at Iona Saturday. “We all know we can be a good team this year,” Inverso said. “Iona is one of the best teams in the conference so this is going to be a challenge, but we will be up for it.”
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