NEWARK, NJ – Adel Al Masude (Brussels, Belgium/GO Lyceum Gent) scored the equalizer in the 74^th minute as the Rider University men's soccer team played NJIT to a 1-1 tie on the road Friday night. With the tie, the Broncs move to 2-1-1 on the year, while the Highlanders are now 1-2-2.

Rider goalkeeper Adam Salama (Ramle, Israel/Orthodox [Ottawa Univ.]) kept the game scoreless with consecutive saves six seconds apart in the 27^th minute. The Broncs' best chance in the first half came when Ethan Shaw (Surf City, NJ/Northern Burlington [St. John's]) nearly had his third goal in the last two games on a header off a corner kick in the 36^th minute. But a Highlander back was at the goal line to clear it off. The game remained scoreless after 45 minutes.  

NJIT broke the deadlock in the 64^th minute as Maximus Barboto's cross to the six-yard box was headed down by a Broncs defender, but Alvaro Heredia knocked in the rebound from 15 yards out for a 1-0 lead. 10 minutes later, the Broncs would find the equalizer. Shaw was taken down just atop the 18-yard box, setting up a free kick that Al Masude buried inside the left post in the 74^th minute.

Both teams looked to have scored the go-ahead goals on headers in front in the game's final 10 minutes – the Broncs on a Dylan Kotch (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) attempt in the 80^th minute and the Highlanders in the 86^th minute when Salama came out to punch away a free kick and was knocked head over heels before a Highlander headed it in at the doorstep. But both chances were disallowed. The Broncs developed the game's last, best chance in the 89^th minute, as Babacar Diene (Thies, Senegal/CEM Ballabey) won a 50/50 ball at the corner of the box and crossed to Momo Diop (Thies, Senegal/Prive Serigne Touba) atop the box. But Diop's low shot went wide of the left post.

Quotes & Notes
"I'm proud of the fight the players had tonight against a very good NJIT team. This group keeps growing together every game. Tonight, we had to find a way to battle back and I'm pleased with the players' discipline to stay the course, be resilient and do it together. To go four-straight games on the road, we've had to jell quicker than any team I've been a part of and they've done just that. We are excited to open up at Ben Cohen Field in front of our home fans." – Rider Head Coach Chad Duernberger

- Rider leads the all-time series with NJIT, 4-2-5. The two teams have now played to ties in each of the last three meetings, including 2-2 ties in 2021 and 2022.
- Rider is 2-0-3 all-time against NJIT in Newark.
- After coming off the bench in each of his first three games as a Bronc, Ethan Gregory (Oakton, VA/Oakton [Maryland]) made his first start.
- 2021 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year Zaki Alibou (Meknes, Morocco/Meknes) sat out the game after receiving a red card last time out at Sacred Heart.
- Salama made three saves in the draw.  
- Salama, Jack McGeechan (Allendale, NJ/Northern Highlands Regional), Martin Chladek (Prague, Czech Republic/Gymnazium Voderadska [Montevallo]), Saad Chaouki (Montreal, Quebec/Antoine de Saint Exupery), Sebastian Rojek (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills [Stony Brook]) and Shaw each played all 90 minutes.
- It was the fourth-straight 90-minute effort for Salama, Chladek, Rojek and Shaw.

Broncs By The Numbers
- The goal was Al Masude's first of the year and his eighth in three years at Rider.
- For the game, NJIT edged the Broncs with a 15-14 edge in shots, with both teams putting five on target.  
- NJIT took six corner kicks to the Broncs' three.  
- Nine yellow cards were issued in the game, with NJIT receiving five and the Broncs being shown four.

Up Next
- The Broncs return to action Tuesday, Sept. 12, when they host Penn in their home opener. Kickoff from Ben Cohen Field is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Ben Cohen Field.