LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Seniors Emily Curteis (Llanfyllin, Wales/Liverpool John Moores) and Valeria Pascuet (Bunuel, Navarra, Spain/San Fermin Ikastola) each scored on Senior Day as the Rider University women's soccer team played Fairfield to a 2-2 tie, Saturday afternoon on Ben Cohen Field. With the result, Fairfield (8-4-3, 5-1-1 MAAC, 16 points) remains two points ahead of the Broncs (7-3-4, 4-1-2 MAAC) for second place in the league standings.

The Broncs opened the scoring in the 14^th minute. Curteis finished low off the left post and in off a pass back to her just inside 18-yard box. Makenzie Rodrigues (Seattle, WA/Forest Ridge) collected a second chance off a Rider corner kick in the middle of the box and fed back to Curteis for the strike to give Rider a 1-0 lead that would stand until halftime.

Fairfield tied the game at 1-1 in the 49^th minute after a Rider back deflected a Fairfield cross into the goal. Just over nine minutes later, the Broncs retook the lead on a penalty kick. Rodrigues was taken down inside the top, left corner of the box and Pascuet converted the penalty kick to put Rider back on top, 2-1, in the 58^th minute. But Fairfield found the equalizer in the 70^th minute, as Jen Wahlig elevated to head in Brooke Hernon's free kick to tie the game.

Neither team could score in the overtime periods and the game ended in a draw.
 
Quotes & Notes
"I thought we played really well. We spoke before the game about coming out and trying to put our mark on the team. We haven't really done that in too many of the conference games. When you're a possession-based team like we try and be, it takes a little bit of time to get into the game. So we really worked on coming out, high pressing, squeezing the game. We did that and I think we took the game to Fairfield in that first half and deservedly got a goal off the second phase of a set piece. Coming in at 1-0 at halftime, I was really happy with our performance."

"They were 5-1 before the game in second place, maybe a point or two above us. It kind of showed two good teams competing hard. Both had opportunities and maybe a tie was the correct result today." – Rider Head Coach Drayson Hounsome
 
- Rider and Fairfield played to a draw for the second-straight year. The Stags now lead the all-time series, 17-6-3.
- Rider remains unbeaten when scoring first this season at 6-0-2.
- Carbonell, Lindsey Maslow (Hanover, MA/Hanover), Camryn Dees (Pickerington, OH/Pickerington H.S. North), Teresa Richardson (Las Vegas, NV/Bishop Gorman) and Cameron Santers (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) each played all 110 minutes.
- Prior to game, the Broncs honored their five-member senior class as part of Senior Day ceremonies. Curteis, Daiana Frizon David (Quilombo, Brazil/Jurema Savi Milanez [Monroe College]), Erica Ludwikowski (Williamsport, PA/Williamsport), Pascuet and Sofia Soares (Sao Paolo, Brazil/St. Nicholas) were recognized for their contributions to Rider Women's Soccer.
- The Broncs return to action Wednesday, when they travel to Canisius. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Broncs By The Numbers
- Carmen Carbonell (Valencia, Spain/Guadalaviar School) made nine saves in net for the Broncs.
- Pascuet scored her third goal of the year and the 11^th of her career. Her 11 goals are tied for 12^th all-time at Rider, while her 40 points are 10^th.
- Curteis scored for the second time this season, giving her two goals in each of her two years at Rider.
- Rodrigues contributed her second assist this season, giving her 10 points on the year.
- Fairfield took a 21-8 edge in shots, including a 10-4 advantage in shots on goal.  
- The Stags also took an 8-4 edge in corner kicks.