Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025
Rider Broncs (1-8-4, 0-3-3 MAAC) vs. Iona Gaels (4-3-4, 2-3-2 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ – Ben Cohen Field
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoBroncs.com

What You Need To Know
- The Rider University men's soccer team plays host to Iona in a rematch of the last two MAAC Championship Games Saturday on Ben Cohen Field.
- The Broncs are looking to snap a nine-match winless streak, falling in the first five, before playing to draws with Manhattan (1-1, Oct. 1), Siena (3-3, Oct. 4) and Fairfield (1-1, Oct. 11). Most recently, the Broncs fell, 1-0, at Saint Peter's on Oct. 15.    
- The Broncs played from behind to equalize against Manhattan (Oct. 1) on a Patryk Rojek header in the 79^th minute. Conversely, Rider took a 3-0 lead on goals in the eighth, 10^th and 36^th minutes from Lovro Kostanjsek, Xavi Csato and Ryan Vaubel, respectively, before the Saints erupted for three goals in the 69^th, 76^th and 78^th minute to equalize in the Oct. 4 draw. In the most recent draw, a 1-1 final vs. Fairfield, the Stags broke a scoreless deadlock at 86:20, before the Broncs answered with a Kaelan Debbage equalizer just 23 seconds later at 86:43.
- The Broncs earned a 3-0 win over George Washington on Sept. 1 for their first win of the season. Lovro Kostanjsek scored twice and added an assist in being named Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week Honorable Mention. Bobby Lucien scored a goal and added an assist and was named MAAC Rookie of the Week.
- Kostanjsek leads the Broncs with three goals and eight points on the season, including a goal and an assist in a 3-3 tie at Siena (Oct. 4). Xavi Csato matched Kostanjsek's goal and assist at Siena and has a team-high four assists on the year. Gio Polizzi has matched Kostanjsek's team-high three goals and has seven points on the season, while Theo Da Silva has added two goals and an assist. 
- Three goalkeepers have seen action for the Broncs this season. Yoav Arikha leads the group with a 1.40 goals-against average in five starts. Marius Helias (2.00 GAA, .759 saves percentage) has gotten the bulk of the recent starts and seven starts overall. His 13 saves at Georgetown marked the most saves by a Rider goalkeeper in more than a decade. The last time a Bronc stopped more than 10 shots was a 12-save performance by Ryan Baird vs. Vermont in the 2016 NCAA Tournament First Round. The 13 saves fall well short of Ed Adams' Rider-record 37 saves vs. Army in 1953. Ben Collins has also made two starts and posted a 3.33 GAA.
- Rider owns a 16-14-2 lead in the all-time series with the Gaels and is 10-4-1 against Iona since 2015, but suffered a pair of 1-0 losses last season, including an overtime decision in the MAAC Championship Game in New Rochelle. The heartbreak came a year after the Broncs earned a dramatic 2-1 MAAC Championship Game victory in New Rochelle in 2023, with Babacar Diene scoring the game winner in the 83^rd minute and Adam Salama stopping a Gaels penalty kick in the final seconds as the Broncs won their sixth MAAC Championship.
- Iona is led by Calle Sjoberg with two goals, four assists and eight points. Sjoberg is joined in the scoring column by six other Gaels – Chris Morandi, Storm Schmidt Hollensted, Alvaro Maneiro, Andrey Mora Bravo, Aitor Jorde and Enbiya Bolur – with two goals apiece.
- Fernando Alves Schmelz has played the majority of minutes in net for the Gaels this season, posting a 1.25 goals-against average and a .697 saves percentage. Josh Bells has also played in four matches, accumulating a 1.33 GAA and .600 saves percentage.  
- Gio Polizzi scored the Broncs' goal vs. Lehigh. Lovro Kostanjsek's strong individual effort got the Broncs into the 18-yard box, before crossing to Ezra Punselie, whose initial shot was deflected wide. Polizzi was ready at the right post for the rebound finish. Polizzi also added goals in a tie with La Salle (Aug. 29) and a 2-1 setback at Saint Joseph's (Sept. 9).
- Bobby Lucien, Leo Arndt, Lovro Kostanjsek, Xavi Csato, Ricky Joasilus and Kaelan Debbage made their first starts in their debuts for the Broncs at Villanova. Gio Polizzi, Ryan Vaubel, Drew Heil and Landon Lackner also came off the bench to make their first appearances for the Broncs.    
- The Broncs have won the 2023 MAAC Tournament Championship and earned a share of the 2024 MAAC Regular Season Championship in Head Coach Chad Duernberger's two seasons leading Rider. Rider's 26 wins over the last two seasons rank ninth in NCAA Division I after he inherited a three-win team from 2022.
- Rider was picked second in the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, behind only Iona. The Broncs and Gaels have met in each of the last two MAAC Championship Games, with Rider taking the 2023 contest and Iona earning an overtime victory in 2024.
- Senior midfielder Theo Da Silva was named MAAC Preseason Co-Player of the Year after earning All-MAAC Second Team honors in his first year with the Broncs last year. Da Silva started 16 of 17 games played, scored three goals and dished out five assists, tying for the team lead and good for fifth in the MAAC.
- Sophomore defender Max Schrader joined Da Silva on the Preseason All-MAAC Team after starting all 19 matches played on the Broncs' back line in his freshman campaign, playing 90 or more minutes 16 times and no fewer than 76 minutes in any match. He played a total of 1,688 minutes on the season, serving in an invaluable role on a Rider defense that allowed just 14 goals, posted a 0.69 goals-against average (3rd – NCAA) and 10 shutouts (.500 shutout percentage – 4th – NCAA), all league bests.
- The Broncs have had eight All-MAAC selections in each of the last two seasons, establishing and repeating the program record. Lost from last year's squad are MAAC Golden Boot recipient Momo Diop (transferred to Marshall) and MAAC Golden Glove honoree Adam Salama (transferred to San Diego), along with five other graduated seniors. Da Silva, who earned Second Team honors, is the lone returner.
- The Broncs' six MAAC Championships are second-most in conference history and most by a current member (Loyola (Md.) – 12). Loyola had won eight-straight MAAC titles prior to the Broncs joining the league in 1997, at which point Rider snapped the Greyhounds' streak and won consecutive championships (1997, 1998). The Broncs' six titles edge Fairfield's five for most among current members.