LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Redshirt senior Michelle Iacono (Merrick, NY/Calhoun) scored her first goal of the year to put the Rider University women's soccer team on top, but the Broncs were edged by Bucknell, 2-1, in overtime Sunday afternoon on Ben Cohen Field. With the loss, the Broncs slip to 0-4, while the 2016 Patriot League Champion Bison improve to 1-4-0.
 
Following a scoreless first half, Ellie Smith (Norwich, England/Norwich City) did well to possess along the right sideline and send a long cross to Iacono. Iacono chased down the pass, reversed field to create space on her defender and fired from 25 yards off the crossbar and down just over the goal line for the score.

But with just under 10 minutes to go in regulation, the Bison scored the equalizer. Broncs' junior back Meghan McCabe (Massapequa Park, NY/Massapequa) headed a corner away from imminent danger, but Bucknell's Meghan Holtz collected the rebound and fired into the right upper 90 to tie the score. Just under five minutes into the overtime period, Holtz made her presence felt again, winning a 50/50 ball in the Bucknell attacking third before passing ahead to Brianna Kropinack in the box for a one-on-one situation with Broncs goalkeeper Amy Kozlowski (Middletown, CT/Middletown) from within 10 yards of the goal line. Kropinack beat Kozlowski to the Broncs' keeper's left for the golden goal.   
 
Quotes & Notes
"Each game, I think we've seen improvements. We don't control the result, we only do our best to get the win. Scoring the first goal and defending really well in that first half, then we came out in the second half and I thought we controlled the first 30 minutes of the play. We didn't get that second goal, hit a crossbar and then they scored a really good goal off a corner with 10 minutes left to go.
 
"Obviously once you get into overtime, a little bit of experience is needed and maybe they that little bit of extra experience in the overtime. We didn't really get enough possession in overtime with the young team that we've got and that was probably the difference. We need that experience of playing more overtime games and being in the game late before we'll potentially be ready to win a couple. The result was disappointing, but the performance and the energy was a big positive."

"Michelle did well. She's always done well against Bucknell. She scored a goal maybe four years ago here in overtime to beat them. Bucknell is a strong team. They were an NCAA Tournament team last year and Patriot League Champions. So for us to compete with them and Michelle to score a quality goal and almost get another one shows we're moving in the right direction." – Rider Head Coach Drayson Hounsome
 
- For the fourth-straight game, Carmen Carbonell (Valencia, Spain/Guadalaviar School) and Amy Kozlowski (Middletown, CT/Middletown) split the game in goal. Carbonell started and made three saves in a scoreless first half. Kozlowski played nearly 50 minutes in the second half and overtime, also accounting for three saves.  
- Rider played its first overtime contest of the year. The Broncs were 1-3-3 when going to extra time a year ago.

Broncs By The Numbers
- The Broncs withstood a 10-shot effort in the first half from Bucknell to head to halftime scoreless.
- Bucknell took 17 corner kicks to the Broncs' one.
- The Bison also took 17 shots, with eight on target, to the Broncs' six shots, four on goal.
- Iacono scored her first goal of the year, the 12^th of her career. Along with an assist last game at Temple, Iacono and Smith lead the Broncs with three points apiece.
- Iacono took four shots on the day, accounting for all four of Rider's shots on goal. Smith and Shannon Kelly (Mineola, NY/Kellenberg Memorial) also took one shot apiece.