Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Rider Broncs (8-7, 2-5 MAAC) vs. #23 Fairfield Stags (13-1, 7-0 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ
Time: 4:00 PM
Live Stats: GoBroncs.com
Broadcast: ESPN+
 
What You Need To Know
- Wednesday's game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
- The Broncs are 8-7 in their inaugural season, including a 6-2 mark at Ben Cohen Field. Rider ranks 41^st nationally in scoring offense at 13.13 goals per game, and 37^th in the country at 30.93 shots per contest. The attack is started at the draw circle, where Rider ranks 27^th in the country in draw controls per game with 15.33 and 46^th in draw control percentage at 52.8%.
- The Broncs were picked to finish tenth in their inaugural season in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll.
- Evan Mager is the coach for the Broncs after three seasons at FDU-Florham where he compiled a 34-7 record, including a 16-0 record entering the NCAA Division III Tournament in his second season in 2021. After that season he was named MAC Freedom and IWLCA Boardwalk Region Coach of the Year.
- Katie Walsh (Marlton, NJ/Camden Catholic[FDU-Florham]) is fourth in the MAAC and is 24^th nationally in ground balls per game at 2.80 and 27^th nationally at 5.93 draw controls per contest. She also ranks fifth in the conference at 2.80 goals per game.
- Walsh was named MAAC Offensive Player of the Week twice this season, first after scoring nine goals and adding four assists in wins over Saint Francis and Central Connecticut State University. She later won the award after scoring five goals and adding five draw controls and five ground balls in a win over Old Dominion.
- Alongside Walsh, the Rider offensive has plenty of depth with eight players recording goals (and all eight recording double digit goals so far this season), and nine players recording a point so far this season.
- Kylee Garcia (Neshanic Station, NJ/Somerville[FDU-Florham]) leads the team with 45 goals and 67 points. She recorded five goals and added two assists against Oregon, then repeated those same numbers at Presbyterian. Against Manhattan, she recorded her 200^th collegiate goal, then set program records with six goals, four assists, and 10 points against Marist to earn MAAC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
- Selena Carrington (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North[Rutgers]), who scored the first-ever goal in program history, has 33 goals on the season, including a career-high five against Saint Francis, a number she tied in back-to-back games at Presbyterian and Kennesaw State.
- Toni Gismondi (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford[VCU]) is second the Broncs with 15 assists and scored a career-high five goals in Rider's win against CCSU.
- Anna Devlin (Marmora, NJ/Ocean City[TCNJ]), who scored four goals in the season opener, is second on the team with 51 draw controls, grabbing six against both Saint Francis and Monmouth.
- Hayley Henderson (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Egg Harbor Twp.) is third on the team with 46 draw controls this season.
- Danika Sedivy (Centennial, CO/Heritage[St. Bonaventure]) leads the Broncs with 15 caused turnovers this season. Walsh is second on the team with 14, while Marybeth Smith (Macungie, PA/Emmaus) and Devlin are tied for third on the squad with 13.
- In goal, Jamie Kubach (Philadelphia, PA/William Penn Charter[FDU-Florham]) and Nicole Caldarone (Mount Arlington, NJ/Mountain Lakes) have split time with Kubach getting 12 starts thus far. Caldarone has produced a 10.70 goals against average with a .377 save percentage, and Kubach has posted a 13.85 goals against average with a .398 save percentage.
- The Broncs have gone 226-275 (.822) on clearing attempts, while holding their opponents to just 221-278 (.795).
- Rider's roster features players from nine different states, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
- The Stags are currently ranked 23^rd in the IWLCA poll, and are currently atop the MAAC Standings. The Broncs are currently tied for seventh, one game back of the final MAAC Tournament position.
- Elizabeth Talluto leads the Stags balanced offense with 51 goals and 17 assists. 13 different Stags have recorded a goal this season.