Monday, August 27, 2018
Rider Broncs (1-0-1) vs. Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (1-2-0)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ – Ben Cohen Field
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Live Video – BroncVision
Live Stats – www.GoBroncs.com
 
What You Need To Know
- The Broncs stand at 1-0-1, marking the first time since 2012 that they've started the season undefeated through two games. The 2012 squad won its first four.
- Rider opened the year with a 1-1 tie at Drexel, with Kourtney Cunningham scoring the equalizer in the 86^th minute. Cunningham's flair for the dramatic continued in a 2-1 overtime win as she scored the golden goal in the 95^th minute off a Sam Picinich assist.
- Picinich equalized against Wagner on a header in the 60^th minute off a beautiful free kick into the box from Valeria Pascuet as the Broncs came from behind for a 2-1 overtime victory.
- Sophomore goalkeeper Carmen Carbonell made a career-high 12 saves at Drexel and equaled her prior career high of eight saves in the win over Wagner.
- Rider and FDU are deadlocked at 5-5-1 in the all-time series. The Knights have had greater recent success, having won four of the last five. The two teams have played in each of the last 10 seasons.
- FDU is 1-2-0 so far this season. After a season-opening 1-0 win over Marshall, the Knights have fallen at Providence and Lehigh, both by 1-0 final scores.
- Christa Waterman scored FDU's lone goal of the year, the game-winner against Marshall off a Lea Egner assist.
- Goalkeeper Amanda Fitzgerald has been strong in net for FDU, making 14 stops for a 0.67 goals-against average and .875 saves percentage.  
- The Broncs returned seven players who started at least 11 games last season.
- Pascuet was named to the Preseason All-MAAC Team after consecutive all-league selections.
- Cunningham's two goals give her 14 goals and 40 points for her career, good for ninth in program history in both categories. Next on the points list is current Rider assistant coach Tara Ballay (45), while Ellie Smith and Michelle Iacono are both next on the goals list with 19 each.
- Cunningham is joined by graduate student Maddie Lipton and Picinich as team captains.
- Picinich came on strong late last season, finishing with two goals and two assists.
- Lipton is joined on an experienced Broncs' back line by 2017 Preseason All-MAAC selection Meghan McCabe. 
- Rider welcomed eight newcomers this season in graduate student Emily Curteis (Stoke City Ladies FC) and freshmen Nikki Arrington (Middleton, MA/Masconomet Regional), Niamh Cashin (Nottingham, England/Sheffield FC), Gabrielle Cook (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South), Sarah Gellert (Severna Park, MD/Severna Park), Ailis Martin (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac), Ellie May (Leicester City Women FC) and Teresa Richardson (Las Vegas, NV/Bishop Gorman).
- Cashin was recently called up to training camp for her native England's U-19 National Team training camp.
- Notable losses from last year's roster include 2018 All-MAAC First Team selection Michelle Iacono, who had a team-high eight goals, seven assists and 23 points a year ago, and fellow First-Team honoree Emily Schmitt, who was a stabilizing force on the back line. Ellie Smith, who scored four goals despite missing six games due to injury, and Shannon Kelly (one goal, two assists in 2017) will also be missed.  
- The 2018 MAAC Championships return to campus sites following the 2017 tournament at ESPN's Wide World of Sports. Opening round games will be contested on Oct. 28, followed by the semifinals on Nov. 1 and the championship game on Nov. 4. The higher seed will host each game.