VILLANOVA, PA – The Rider University men's soccer team took a 13-5 advantage in shots, but was defeated, 2-0, in its season opener at Villanova Thursday afternoon. With the loss, the Broncs fall to 0-1-0, while the Wildcats are now 1-0-0.
The Wildcats broke the deadlock in the 27
th minute, with Dominic Cyriacks scoring off a Lyam Mackinnon assist. The score remained 1-0 Villanova at the half and for the majority of the second stanza before the Wildcats padded their lead on a Seidu Shamsudeen tally with just over a minute remaining in regulation.
Quotes and Notes
"We did pretty well for our first match against a good opponent. We had three heartbreaking misses. A post, one cleared off the line and a point-blank save. We pushed everyone forward at the end and they countered. Trust me. We will be fine." –
Rider Head Coach Charlie Inverso
- Villanova cut the Broncs' lead in the all-time series to 5-3-0.
- Rider goalkeeper
Pablo Gatinois (Madrid, Spain/Lycee Francais de Madrid) made one save for the Broncs.
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Lenny Cidolit (Montpellier, France/Montpellier Univ. [UCF]),
Adel Al-Masude (Brussels, Belgium),
Jack McGeechan (Allendale, NJ/Northern Highlands Regional),
Tyrrell Moore (Brooklyn, NY/ [Wake Forest]) and
Kevin Peprah (Boyds, MD/Northwest) each made their Rider debuts, with Cidolit and Al-Masude doing so in the starting line-up.
Broncs By The Numbers
- Rider took a 13-5 edge in shots. However, just one was on target to the Wildcats' three shots on goal.
- Both teams took four corner kicks.
- Gatinois' save was the lone goalkeeper save in the game. Moore's shot in the 62
nd minute was cleared off the line by a Villanova back.
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Zaki Alibou (Meknes, Morocco/Meknes) took a team-high four shots for Rider.
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Sergio Aguinaga (Madrid, Spain/Antonio Dominguez Ortiz),
Matt Araujo (Fords, NJ/Saint Joseph) and
Francisco Gomez Olano (Cadiz, Spain/University of Cadiz) attempted two shots each, while Al-Masude also got off a shot.
