SOUTH ORANGE, NJ – The Rider University men's soccer team kept the pressure on to the finish, but was edged by Seton Hall, 1-0, in the season opener Thursday night. With the loss, the Broncs are 0-1 and the Pirates improve to 1-0.

The Pirates took the lead in the 10^th minute, developing a chance in front. Rider goalkeeper Adam Salama (Ramle, Israel/Orthodox [Ottawa Univ.]) made the initial save, but Andrea Borg sprinted to the six-yard box for the strike and a 1-0 Seton Hall lead at 9:08. The Broncs would develop chances over the final 36 minutes of the first half, most notably on Momo Diop's (Thies, Senegal/Prive Serigne Touba) low shot from atop the 18-yard box in the 41^st minute that Seton Hall keeper Mats Roorda dove to push wide of the left post.  

The Broncs kept the pressure on in the second half, developing several chances. One in particular saw Saad Chaouki's (Montreal, Quebec/Antoine de Saint Exupery) attempt from 20 yards out miss just wide of the right upper 90 in the 74^th minute. But the Broncs' best chance came in the 88^th minute, when Martin Chladek (Prague, Czech Republic/Gymnazium Voderadska [Montevallo]) headed a shot on target, toward the left post. But Seton Hall back Konstantin Donalies cleared the shot off the goal line to preserve the 1-0 Pirates victory.

Quotes & Notes
"Unfortunate result for us, but as a coach you have to analyze the performance of the group especially being game one of a long season. We have a very talented team with a lot of new faces playing together for the first time in a real test on the road. I told the players, this is one of the most dangerous teams in transition to attack that I've ever coached. I love these guys and couldn't be more excited to grow this group over the course of the season." – Rider Head Coach Chad Duernberger

- The Broncs were playing their first game under first-year Head Coach Chad Duernberger. Duernberger came to Rider following five seasons as an assistant at Dartmouth. He replaced Charlie Inverso, who retired following 12 seasons at the helm, leading the Broncs to three MAAC Championships.
- The Broncs and Pirates met for the 29th time. The Pirates have now won two straight to cut the Broncs' lead in the all-time series to 16-11-2.
- Chaouki, Chladek, David Ogbonna (Silver Spring, MD/Blake [Villanova]), Sebastian Rojek (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills [Stony Brook]), Salama and Ethan Shaw (Surf City, NJ/Northern Burlington [St. John's]) each started in their Rider debuts.
- Ethan Gregory (Oakton, VA/Oakton [Maryland]) and Luke Kirilenko (McKinney, TX/Impington International College [Virginia]) also came on off the bench in making their Rider debuts in the second half.
- Jack McGeechan (Allendale, NJ/Northern Highlands Regional), Chladek, Diop, Chaouki, Ogbonna, Rojek and Shaw each played all 90 minutes.
- All 11 Rider starters played at least 73 minutes.
- Salama made two saves in net for the Broncs.

Broncs By The Numbers
- Rider outshot Seton Hall, 12-8, for the game and 5-2 in the second half. The Pirates took a 3-2 edge in shots on goal.  
- Rider took nine corner kicks to Seton Hall's five.
- Four Broncs were cautioned in the match, while Seton Hall was shown a pair of yellow cards.   

Up Next
- The Broncs return to action Monday, when they travel to Philadelphia to take on Saint Joseph's. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.