Box Score Men's College Soccer
Monmouth University 1, Rider University 0
WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ— Rematch.
Forty years ago it was the Thrilla in Manila, with Ali getting revenge vs. Frazier. A dozen years ago it was the Miracle Comeback, with the Red Sox getting revenge vs. the Yankees. And on Wednesday night, it was the War at the Shore, with the Hawks getting revenge vs. the Broncs.
In a rematch of the 2015 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Game, pitting the Defending Champion Rider vs. the Preseason Favorite Monmouth, the Monmouth Hawks defeated Rider with a late goal Wednesday night.
“I thought we did okay but I don't think we played well enough to win,” said Rider head coach Charlie Inverso. “It might have been one of our worst performances of the year. We knew going in they were a really good team and we didn't play our best.”
Monmouth (3-5-2, 2-1-0 MAAC) scored on a rebound in the 88th minute of play. “It was not a good goal to give up that late in the game,” Inverso said. “If we are going to compete again for the league we can't give away a free kick. We just didn't handle it well. To be honest, it was not a good goal to give up late in the game.”
Both teams had 13 shots, with the Hawks having seven shots on goal, while Rider (6-3-1, 1-1-1 MAAC) had six shots on goal.
“Monmouth returns four first-team All-Conference performers, including one of the top goalkeepers in the country,” Inverso said. “He saved them in the end. He made incredible saves.”
Monmouth goalie Eric Klenofsky made six saves. “He made three incredible saves,” Inverso said, “one on a free kick and one on a flurry in the penalty area with about 40 seconds left in the game.”
Rider senior goalkeeper Ryan Baird (Plainfield, NJ/St. Peter's Prep) made six saves.
Last season the two teams tied in the regular season game before Rider defeated the Hawks 3-2 in the MAAC Title Game in Florida.
Before last year Monmouth won nine straight games over Rider. Monmouth leads the all-time series 16-7-3.
Rider hosts Siena Saturday in a MAAC game beginning at 1pm. “We put ourselves in a situation where we have to win Saturday,” Inverso said. “They are in first place.”
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