Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025
Rider Broncs (1-10-4, 0-5-3 MAAC) vs. Sacred Heart Pioneers (7-3-4, 6-0-2 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ – Ben Cohen Field
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
Live Video: BroncVision
Live Stats: GoBroncs.com

What You Need To Know
- The Rider University men's soccer team wraps up its 2025 home slate Saturday afternoon, when it plays host to league-leading Sacred Heart on Ben Cohen Field.
- Following the match, the Broncs will honor their 10-member senior class during Senior Day ceremonies. The Broncs will honor Sebastian Suber, Lovro Kostanjsek, Kaelan Debbage, Ethan Gregory, William Baker, Christian Graham, Ricky Joasilus, Theo Da Silva, Luke Kirilenko and Ben Collins.
- The Broncs are looking to snap an 11-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 have fallen in the last three, 1-0, at Saint Peter's on Oct. 15, 3-0 vs. Iona on Oct. 18 and 3-1 at Marist on Oct. 24.    
- Xavi Csato scored in the 14^th minute off a William Baker assist to put Rider on top, 1-0, on Oct. 24 at Marist. However, the Red Foxes equalized in the 40^th minute, before adding a pair of second-half goals in a 3-1 Red Foxes win.
- Csato and Lovro Kostanjsek lead the Broncs with eight points apiece. Csato has two goals and a team-high four assists, while Kostanjsek has three goals and eight points on the season. Included in Kostanjsek's production is a goal and an assist in a 3-3 tie at Siena (Oct. 4). 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. Marius Helias (2.24 GAA, .725 saves percentage) has gotten the bulk of the recent starts and eight 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. Yoav Arikha's 1.40 goals-against average in five starts leads the group, while Ben Collins has also made two starts and posted a 3.33 GAA.
- Rider has won a pair of one-goal decisions the past two seasons vs. Sacred Heart, the only two matches in the series history. Rider won the inaugural meeting between the two programs as non-conference foes in 2023, 2-1, in Fairfield on Sept. 5, 2023. Though Rider and Sacred Heart were not scheduled to play in the regular season in the Pioneers' first year in the MAAC in 2024, the two teams were paired in the MAAC Quarterfinals, with Rider pulling out a 1-0 double-overtime victory on Cole Sotack's golden goal in the 102^nd minute.
- David Garcia Gallego, Danny Istambouli and Ivan Morcillo have each scored four goals to lead Sacred Heart, with Garcia Gallego also holding the team lead with four assists and 12 points. Daniel Losfablos has also scored three goals and Brady Poor and Sam McCann have two goals apiece.  
- Luca Marinelli is the Pioneers' starter in goal, posting a 0.67 goals-against average and an .822 saves percentage in 12 starts.
- 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 a 1-1 final on Oct. 11 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.
- 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.