PHILADELPHIA – Senior Kourtney Cunningham (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) scored the equalizer with just under five minutes to go in regulation as the Rider University women's soccer team opened 2018 with a 1-1 draw at Drexel.

Following a scoreless first half, the Dragons got on the board in the 60^th minute, when Shaelyn McCarty scored off the rebound of her own shot saved by Rider sophomore goalkeeper Carmen Carbonell (Valencia, Spain/Guadalaviar School). Carbonell made the initial save just outside the six-yard box, but the rebound went right back to McCarty, whose second shot wouldn't miss.

With just under five minutes remaining in regulation, Cunningham collected a corner kick knocked out of the box by Drexel outside of the top, left of the 18-yard box. She fired to the top, right upper 90, and it deflected off a Dragons defender and underneath the crossbar to tie the game at 85:01.

Neither team could find the back of the net for the final 4:59 of regulation or 20 minutes of overtime as the game ended in a draw. Carbonell made a career-high 12 saves in the game to help preserve the tie.  
 
Quotes & Notes
"We showed good character to come back from a goal down on the road against one of the top teams in the CAA last season. Soccer-wise there were a lot of positives with us in burst showing more of the things we have been working hard on the last two weeks. Nice to get the first non-conference game in our legs and look to improve and get better for Tuesday at Wagner." - Rider Head Coach Drayson Hounsome

- Tonight's match was the first with Drexel since 2011.
- The Broncs now lead the all-time series with the Dragons, 5-3-3.  
- Rider is 3-3-1 in its last seven season openers and 3-6-2 in 11th-year head coach Drayson Hounsome's Broncs tenure.
- Cunningham (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) is now alone in ninth all-time on the program career points list (38), passing Lauren Musumeci (36). Next on the list is current Rider assistant coach Tara Ballay (45).  
- Sofia Soares (Sao Paolo, Brazil/St. Nicholas) made her return to the pitch following a preseason injury that kept her out for all of 2017.
- Graduate student Emily Curteis (Llanfyllin, Wales/Liverpool John Moores) and freshmen Ailis Martin (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac), Sarah Gellert (Severna Park, MD/Severna Park), Teresa Richardson (Las Vegas, NV/Bishop Gorman) and Ellie May (Dronfield, England/Dronfield Henry Fanshawe) each made their Broncs debuts.  
 
Broncs By The Numbers
- Carbonell made a career-high 12 saves, eclipsing her previous high of eight, established last Sept. 16 at Marist. It marked the third time Carbonell has made six or more saves in a single game.
- Carbonell's 12 saves are the most by a Rider keeper since Bethany-May Howard made 15 on Aug. 27, 2015, at Fairleigh Dickinson. The last time a Rider goalkeeper made double-digit saves was May-Howard with 10 on Sept. 19, 2015, against Quinnipiac.
- Drexel took a 26-11 edge in shots and a 13-6 advantage in shots on goal.
- Rider took five corner kicks to the Dragons' four.
- Valeria Pascuet (Bunuel, Navarra, Spain/San Fermin Ikastola) led the Broncs with four shots, all on goal.