NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Francisco Gomez Olano (Cadiz, Spain/University of Cadiz) scored in the 41^st minute, but the sixth-seeded Rider University men's soccer team fell at No. 3 Iona, 2-1, in Sunday's MAAC Championship Quarterfinals on Mazzella Field. With the loss, the Broncs conclude their season at 7-8-2, while the Gaels (12-5-1) advance to face second-seeded Quinnipiac on Thursday.

Iona scored the first two goals of the game. In the 30^th minute, Najim Romero played the ball into the box, where Josh Plimpton got just enough of it to play it to his left to Esad Mackic, who sent a left-footed shot into the left upper 90 for the 1-0 Iona lead. Less than 10 minutes later, it was Plimpton ahead of the pack off passes from Mackic and Mauro Bravo. Rider goalkeeper Pablo Gatinois (Madrid, Spain/Lycee Francais de Madrid [Oregon State]) came off his line to contest, but Plimpton was able to evade Gatinois and shoot into an open net for the 2-0 lead.

Rider responded less than a minute later, as Pablo DeCastro (Madrid, Spain/Universidad Francisco de Vitoria) crossed from the goal line to Maxwell Aunger (Tewksbury, NJ/Gill St. Bernard's [Boston University]), who chested it down to the feet of Gomez Olano, who struck on one touch inside the left post to cut the deficit to 2-1. However, the Broncs couldn't find the equalizer over the final 49 minutes.

Quotes and Notes
"This was a tough result because we fought back and had a lot of chances to win. It makes me appreciate even more what the players have done here in the past four years, winning three titles and going to four-straight championship games. I want to thank our seniors for providing so many memories during their years here. Our effort in this game and every game this year was tremendous. I'm proud of these guys and proud of this program." – Rider Head Coach Charlie Inverso

- The Iona win snaps a six-game Rider winning streak against the Gaels. Rider still has a 12-11-1 advantage in the all-time series.  
- Sunday's game was a rematch of last year's MAAC Quarterfinals, also played on Mazzella Field, with the then-fifth-seeded Broncs defeating the No. 4 Gaels, 2-0. Sylvain Coco and Pablo DeCastro each scored second-half goals as the Broncs advanced.
- Rider had enjoyed unique success on Mazzella Field, where the Broncs won the previous four, dating back to the 2015 season. Iona was 12-2-2 at home over its previous 16 games at home in the last two years, with the only two losses coming to the Broncs in last year's quarterfinals and a double-overtime Rider victory this past Oct. 30. Moving into 2017, the Gaels' last three losses to MAAC competition on Mazzella Field have come against Rider, with Iona posting a 9-3-3 record against league foes in that time and the Broncs taking a 2-1 win on Oct. 25, 2017.  
- The loss also snaps a streak of four-straight appearances for Rider in the MAAC Championship Game.
- Today's loss marked the first time this season Rider had consecutive like results. Through 16 games this season, Rider had not had consecutive wins, losses or ties.
 
Broncs By The Numbers
- The assist was DeCastro's third of the year, along with eight goals, to give him 19 points for the third-consecutive season as a Bronc.
- Gomez Olano scored his second goal of the year and ends his first season at Rider with seven points.
- Aunger's assist was his first point as a Bronc.
- Gatinois made five saves in goal for Rider.
- Iona took a 13-6 advantage in shots, including a 7-1 edge in shots on goal.    
- Both teams took three corner kicks.