College Field Hockey
Rider University 4, Colgate University 1

HAMILTON, NY—Led by two goals and an assist from Bronc rookie Daane Koch, the Rider University field hockey team won 4-1 on the road at Colgate University in a non-conference game Sunday afternoon at Tyler's Field.

Rider improved to 6-4 on the season, winning its third game in a row.

“Today was another good team win,” said head coach Lori Hussong.  “We had pressure on their goal for a good part of the game and should have converted on a few more opportunities.”

A three-time Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week honoree, Koch now leads Rider with seven goals and 19 points and has hit the scoring column in six straight games.

Koch took a pass from junior Melissa Cunningham just 10:04 into the game to give the Broncs a 1-0 lead.  For Cunningham, it was her fourth assist of the season.

With 2:26 left on the clock before the half, junior Lauren Bock provided the helper for Koch's second of the game and Rider led by two goals at intermission.

Koch fed senior Carlie Spaeder who recorded her fifth goal of the season and Rider led 3-0 with just under 18 minutes remaining in the game.

Freshman Jade Freeberg scored her second of the season in the 56th minute to give Rider a four-goal advantage.

“Our midfield and back line really controlled the game and kept the ball out of our circle,” Hussong added.  “Jessica (Randazzo) and Kalyn (O'Brien) were outstanding and having several different players score on the line was encouraging and brings confidence to our young team.”

Colgate finally got on the board, solving freshman goalie Grace Huff with 1:20 remaining in the game on a penalty stroke for the final score.

Huff, who improved to 3-0 on the season, began her collegiate career with a shutout streak of 203:27 before the penalty stroke goal.

Huff only had to make one save for the win as Rider's defense allowed just three Colgate shots while the offense pasted Colgate goalie Maria Krull with 41 shots. Krull made 27 saves for the Raiders.

Rider held a 13-1 penalty corner advantage.

The teams have now split the 24 games in the series.  Rider won 6-1 at Colgate last season and the Broncs won 3-1 in Lawrenceville in 2014 after scoring three unanswered goals.  In the 2013 season opener, Rider rallied from a 1-0 deficit for a 3-2 win.  The Broncs defeated the Raiders 5-1 in 2012 and in the first ever field hockey game on Ben Cohen Field in 2010, Rider won 5-0 over Colgate.  The Raiders last defeated Rider in 2008 by a 3-1 score in a game played at Monmouth University.

After three games in five days (all wins), the field hockey team is off for a week before traveling to Columbia University on October 2 for a 1pm game. Rider returns home October 9 (Alumni Day) to face Bryant University in a MAAC game at noon.

-RU-