LOREDO, PA – The Rider University field hockey team further muddied the top of the NEC standings Friday evening, defeating Saint Francis University, 3-2. The win moves the Broncs to 6-6 overall on the season, while the Red Flash fall to 7-5. Following the game, Four teams, including both Rider and Saint Francis, sit tied atop the NEC standings at 3-1 in conference play. Joining the pair on top of the league table are Wagner and Fairfield. The Seahawks lone conference loss this season came against the Stags. The Broncs previously defeated Fairfield this season for their lone loss during league play this year. Stonehill, the lone team to defeat Rider in NEC play this season, has just one conference loss this season, falling to Saint Francis earlier this season.
Despite both sides firing a trio of shots on cage in the opening 15 minutes, both goalies played strong to keep the game scoreless through the first quarter of play.
Late in the second, it would be the Broncs taking advantage of a Red Flash turnover to put the game's first goal on the board.
Lyric Scott (Union, NJ/Union) would intercept a pass in Rider offensive third, then played a long pass into the circle where the ball would find the stick of
Katie Wuerstle (Schwenksville, PA/Perkiomen[Kent St.]). Wuerstle spun around a defender to her backhand, where she took a shot that found the back of the cage, giving Rider the early advantage.
In the middle of the third,
Ang Borisow (Harleysville, PA/Souderton) drew a foul near midfield then took advantage of a quick restart to play a long ball toward the Saint Francis goal. The ball was deflected by
Pauli Thiele (Pullach, Germany/Otfried Preussler Gymnasium Pullach), and ended up behind the Red Flash goalie on the stick of
Olivia Machiavelli (Madrid, Spain/International School Sek el Castillo), who calmly lifted a shot into the net, extending the Rider lead to 2-0. The extended lead would be short lived, as just 35 seconds later, Saint Francis would respond with a goal off a penalty corner to trim the Rider lead to 2-1 where it would remain entering the fourth.
With just under three minutes to play, the Red Flash would tie the game off a corner, but a nifty shot from Machiavelli on a one-timer from a centering pass by
Semra Said (Mannheim, Germany/Feudenheim Gymnasium Mannheim) would give Rider the lead for good. Saint Francis would draw a corner in the game's final minute, but would not generate a meaningful shot on the opportunity.
Quotes & Notes
- Rider extends its lead in the all-time series to 22-4.
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Jade Regnart (Cape Town, South Africa/Fairmont) got the start in net, playing all 60 minutes and making four saves in the win.
- Borisow,
Kate Mahmud (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown West),
Megan Normile (New Egypt, NJ/New Egypt), Scott, Machiavelli,
Anna Finn (Windsor, NY/Windsor Central),
Emma Bonshak (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall), and Wuerstle played all 60 minutes in the field.
Broncs By The Numbers
- Rider outshot Saint Francis 12-7, including an 11-6 edge in shots on goal.
- The Red Flash earned nine corners to seven for the Broncs.
Up Next
- The Broncs return to play Sunday when the Broncs visit Hofstra for a 1 p.m. game.
