Sunday, September 2, 2018
Rider Broncs (2-0-1) vs. NJIT Highlanders (3-1-1)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ – Ben Cohen Field
Kickoff: 5 p.m.
Live Video – BroncVision
Live Stats – www.GoBroncs.com
 
What You Need To Know
- The Broncs stand at 2-0-1, marking the first time since 2012 that they've started the season undefeated through three games. The 2012 squad won its first four.
- All three of the Broncs' games so far this season have gone to overtime. The last time Rider had three-straight games go to overtime to open a season came in 2010.  
- Rider has trailed in all three games so far this season, but has fended off defeat in each.
- 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 scored the game-winner against Fairleigh Dickinson in the 99^th minute, sending what appeared to be a pass ahead toward Cunningham at the top of the 18-yard box. Cunningham chased after the pass, as did the FDU goalkeeper. The ball bounced between the two, over the keeper's head and into the net for the win.
- Emily Curteis scored the equalizer against FDU in the 90^th minute. It was her first goal as a Bronc, while Cunningham and Sofia Soares assisted on the play. The assist was Soares' first since Sept. 17, 2016 after the junior missed all of 2017 due to injury.
- 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. She also added seven stops against FDU.
- Rider leads the all-time series with NJIT, 6-3-0. The two teams are meeting for the 10^th-straight season. NJIT took a 3-1 win last season in Newark. After NJIT's prior two wins in the series – in 2009 and 2013 – the Broncs won three straight.
- After opening the season with a 1-0 loss at Monmouth and a scoreless draw with LIU Brooklyn, NJIT defeated Iona, 1-0, Fairfield, 4-1, and UMass Lowell, 1-0.
- Fiona Wright leads NJIT with three goals, while Jennifer Callaghan has two. Tara Walenczyk has also scored once. Katrina Nguyen-DeMary has a team-high three assists.
- Goalkeeper Amelia Sapirman has been stingy in net with a 0.38 goals-against average and a .900 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 and an assist so far this season give her 14 goals and 41 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.