LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Carly Brosious (Drexel Hill, PA/Monsignor Bonner [Archbishop Prendergast]) scored with just over eight minutes remaining, breaking a 2-2 tie and sending the Broncs to the NEC Playoffs. The Broncs wrap-up conference play at 11-6 overall and 4-3 in NEC play. The Pioneers end the conference slate 2-15 overall and 2-5 in league play.
 
With the victory, the Broncs clinch the four-seed in the upcoming NEC Tournament, which will be played at Wagner. Rider will face top-seeded Fairfield in the semi-finals next Friday.
 
The Broncs got on the board, late in the first quarter, when Tess van Ommeren (Amsterdam, Netherlands/Sint Nicolaas Lyceum) played a long ball into the circle. Julia Divorra (Terrassa, Spain/Vedruna Vall) got a stick onto the pass and deflected the ball into the cage.
 
Midway through the second quarter, the Pioneers answered off a corner opportunity. Mia Katterman grabbed the rebound off the initial shot attempt and tied the game. The Broncs immediately answered again. van Ommeren made a long pass off a restart following a Sacred Heart foul and placed it perfectly on the stick of Divorra. Divorra then ripped a reverse chip that beat the goalie five hole and put Rider back on top heading into the half.
 
In the third, the Pioneers put the ball into the circle and tried to make a pass across the front of the cage that Brooke Golbeski (Jamison, PA/Central Bucks West) deflected. However, the deflection went right on the stick of a Pioneer who made an easy pass to a teammate standing at the far post who finished into the net that was left open.
 
But it was Brosious who would end the game as the hero. Again van Ommeren made a centering pass into the circle. Brousious stayed low and deflected the ball into the cage for what would become the game-winning goal.

Quotes & Notes
"We shot the ball a lot, and should have scored a few more goals if not for their goalies playing really well today. It was a game we needed to win, and we could have played better defensively. They did a good job capitalizing on our two defensive lapses."
 
"We did a great job drawing corners, but we need to focus on our execution. When you get as many corners as we did, a higher percentage of shots should go into the cage."
 
"It sets the tone if you can score early. It allows you to relax and play your game, because you're not as tense. When we score first, we're able to maintain our composure." – Head Coach Lori Hussong
 
"I think that everyone came out hard, knowing that it is our last home game. I'm going to miss everything, we always say that, 'We don't lose here'"
 
"We have been practicing tips a lot the past two weeks. I was focusing on staying low, and keeping my stick on the ball, but Tess sent in a really great ball." – Senior Forward Carly Brosious
 
"I came in today and told the team, 'We are not going to make Sunday our last game.' It was about getting the job done to make sure we could keep playing together. I started getting nervous before the game, but once we started the game it all went away."
 
"It's really important to get the game on your back, so we always try to start out early. I knew Tess would put the big ball in, so I knew I had to run my stick in." – Senior Forward Julia Divorra
 
- The Broncs lead the all-time series 25-8 over the Pioneers.
- Golbeski made a save to earn the victory in goal.
- Kiki van Ommeren (Amsterdam, Netherlands/Montessori Lyceum Amsterdam), Tess van Ommeren, Brosious, Divorra, and Sierra Giuliano (Franklinville, NJ/Delsea Regional) played all 60 minutes in the game.
- The Broncs clinched a berth in the postseason for the 22^nd consecutive season.

Broncs By The Numbers
- The Broncs out-shot Sacred Heart 23-3, including a 16-3 advantage in shots on goal.
- Rider earned 14 corners in the game to just one for the Pioneers.
- Tess van Ommeren now has 31 career assists, good for seventh in program history, and tied a career-high with 11 assists this season.
- Divorra now has 42 goals for her career, tying her with Tricia Crotty for eighth in program history.
 
Up Next
- Rider closes out the regular season on Sunday with a trip to Columbia. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m.