Thursday, November 15, 2018
Rider Broncs (10-9-1) vs. #16 Akron Zips (10-6-2)
Location: Akron, OH – FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Live Video – ESPN3
Live Stats – NCAA.com
 
What You Need To Know
- Rider and Akron are meeting for the first time in the two programs' histories.
- The Broncs are making their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, including three in the last four years. Rider is 0-4 in four prior tournament games.
- Rider defeated Quinnipiac, 1-0, in the MAAC Championship Game in Hamden, Conn. Pablo DeCastro finished a Clement Bourret cross in the 55th minute for the game winner. Pablo Gatinois made a career-high 10 saves to secure the victory.
- Akron has a storied men's soccer history, winning the NCAA Championship in 2010, advancing to the NCAA College Cup five times, including last season, and making the round of 16 11 times, including eight times in the last 13 years.
- Akron is one of only four programs to qualify for the NCAA Tournament in each of the last 12 year, joining Indiana, Maryland and Virginia.
- The Broncs reached the MAAC Championship Game for a fourth-straight year, becoming just the third program in MAAC history to make four-straight MAAC Championship Game appearances. Rider joined Loyola (1989-97, no longer in MAAC) and Fairfield (1998-2002).
- Rider has won its last five games, all by shutout. The Broncs needed wins in their last two to qualify for the six-team MAAC Championship field for the fifth-straight season, defeating Siena, 5-0, and Canisius, 2-0. The Broncs then went on the road to defeat No. 4 Iona and No. 1 Fairfield, both by 2-0 final scores, and got past No. 2 Quinnipiac, 1-0, on the Bobcats' home field.
- The Broncs' seven shutouts this season tie the program single-season record, both as a team and individually for sophomore goalkeeper Pablo Gatinois.
- Rider became the first team in MAAC Championship history to win three true road games in the tournament en route to the title.   
- Graduate student Elliott Otmani became the third Bronc in program history with 30 career goals and 20 assists.