Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Rider Broncs (4-8-2, 4-2-2 MAAC) vs. Siena Saints (9-7-0, 5-4-0 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ – Ben Cohen Field
Kickoff: 4 p.m.
Live Video – GoBroncs.com
Live Stats – GoBroncs.com
 
What You Need To Know
- The Broncs play host to Siena in a match pivotal to MAAC Championship seeding. Should Rider win, the Broncs (14 points) would pass the Saints (15 points) in the standings for good, as Siena is playing its final game of the regular season.
- Currently tied for fourth in the league standings with two matches left in the regular season, the Broncs can finish as high as the No. 2 seed or as low as the No. 7 seed in the upcoming MAAC Tournament at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, FL, Oct. 28-Nov. 1. The top five seeds will receive first-round byes.
- Rider's final two games will carry significant weight in the standings, as Siena currently holds the No. 3 position, while Saturday's opponent, Manhattan, sits in second place.
- The Broncs defeated Iona, 4-0, on Senior Day Oct. 14. Seniors Michelle Iacono and Shannon Kelly each had a goal and an assist, as did junior Kourtney Cunningham. Meghan McCabe also found the back of the net, while Valeria Pascuet distributed two assists.  
- Rider carries a four-game unbeaten streak into Saturday's game, with consecutive ties against Quinnipiac and Niagara followed by two-straight wins over Canisius and Iona. In their last seven games, the Broncs are 4-1-2.  
- Siena had won five-straight games prior to a 3-1 setback at home to league-leading Monmouth on Oct. 14. The Saints opened the MAAC slate with three-straight 2-1 losses to Fairfield, Quinnipiac and Manhattan.  
- Rider University Women's Soccer has partnered with Vs. Cancer this season to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer. The fundraiser will last throughout the season. In partnership with Vs. Cancer, 50 percent of the money raised will fund national brain tumor research efforts through the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, while the other half goes directly to the pediatric oncology unit at Saint Peter's University Hospital.
- Rider owns a 10-7-4 advantage in the all-time against the Saints, including a seven-game unbeaten streak (5-0-2). The Broncs have won three-straight, including a 1-0 win last Oct. 8 in Loudonville.  
- Michelle Iacono scored both goals in a 2-0 Rider win at Canisius on Oct. 7. She also added an assist in the Broncs' 1-1 tie at Quinnipiac on Oct. 4.
- Following a 2-0 week, Michelle Iacono and Carmen Carbonell were honored with MAAC weekly awards on Sept. 25. For her two goals and four assists against Saint Peter's and Fairfield, Iacono earned Co-MAAC Player of the Week. Carbonell earned MAAC Rookie of the Week after allowing just one goal in the two games and recording her first collegiate shutout.
- Rider scored a then-season-high three goals in a 3-0 clean sheet against Saint Peter's on Sept. 20. Ellie Smith scored two goals, while Kourtney Cunningham added a tally. Valeria Pascuet and Michelle Iacono contributed two assists apiece.
- Carbonell made a season-high eight saves on Sept. 16 at Marist and posted her first collegiate shutout on Sept. 20 against Saint Peter's.
- Iacono leads the Broncs with seven goals, seven assists and 21 points, while Kourtney Cunningham is next on the list with five goals, two assists and 12 points. Iacono scored each twice against Fairfield and Canisius and added single goals against Iona, Niagara and Bucknell. She added two assists each against Saint Peter's and Fairfield, while tallying single helpers against Iona, Quinnipiac and Temple. Cunningham scored once each against Wagner, NJIT, Saint Peter's, Fairfield and Iona and assisted on Iacono's goals against Niagara and Iona.
- Smith returned to the Broncs after leading the team in scoring in 2016 (eight goals, five assists, 21 points). She was a 2016 All-MAAC First Team and All-ECAC Honorable Mention selection.
- The Broncs returned eight players in 2017 who started at least 12 games last season.
- Smith and junior back Meghan McCabe were named to the Preseason All-MAAC Team.
- A three-year starter on the Broncs' back line, senior Emily Schmitt was named team captain this year.
- The 2017 MAAC Championships will be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. All 11 teams in the league will participate, with the top five teams receiving a first-round bye.