Monday, August 18, 2025
Rider Broncs (0-0-0, 0-0-0 MAAC) vs. Wagner Seahawks (0-0-0, 0-0-0 NEC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ | Ben Cohen Field
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Live Video: BroncVision
Live Stats: GoBroncs.com

What You Need to Know
- Rider women's soccer kicks off its 2025 campaign at home Monday against Wagner.
- This is the fifth straight season opener between the Broncs and Seahawks.
- Rider holds a 9-5-1 advantage in the all-time series dating back to its inaugural 1997 season. After dropping the first three matchups, the Broncs have claimed nine of the last 12 meetings.
- The Seahawks posted an 8-5-6 record last season, ending their run with a loss in the NEC Tournament semifinals.
- Leading scorer Izzy Gomez, who tallied four goals and 10 points, returns to anchor Wagner's attack.
- Last year's opener between the Broncs and Seahawks ended in a scoreless draw despite 19 total shots and an even 5-5 split in shots on goal.
- The MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll slotted Rider ninth entering the new year.
- After coming up just shy of the MAAC Tournament last year, the Broncs are determined to bounce back and secure a return to the postseason, a stage they reached for 11 straight seasons before last year.
- Rider returns its top three scorers from 2024—Tess Ferrie, Courtney Carter, and Noa Menzing—who accounted for 71% of the team's goals.
- Tess Ferrie led the Broncs in every offensive category as a freshman a season ago with four goals, three assists, and a team-high 11 points in 13 starts.
- Menzing and Carter tallied three goals apiece last season, with Leonor Alves contributing one.
- Ava DeGeorge also returns, who matched Ferrie with three assists and tallied two goals of her own.
- The Broncs will now turn to freshman Ashley Moore and returner Kaia Lyn to guard the net this season with standout goalkeeper Ellie Sciancalepore graduating after a decorated career that included MAAC Golden Glove honors in 2022, MAAC First Team honors the same year, and back-to-back MAAC Second Team selections in 2023 and 2024, along with program records of 22 career shutouts and seven in a single season.
- Eight newcomers join the roster in 2025, including freshmen Ashley Moore, Ella Baumgardt, Aysu Unver, CJ Harris, Priscille Le Helloco, and Lauren Black.
- Transfers Isis Ovares (Seton Hall) and Eva Sikich (Milwaukee) also bolster the lineup.
- Head Coach Drayson Hounsome enters his 18th season at the helm, having compiled 126 career wins and led Rider to the 2014 MAAC Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.