LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Gio Polizzi (San Ramon, CA/Tilden Preparatory [Missouri State]) and Theo Da Silva (Sao Paulo, Brazil/University of Rio Grande) each scored a goal as the Rider University men's soccer team played La Salle to a 2-2 draw Friday night on Ben Cohen Field. With the tie, the Broncs move to 0-2-1, while the Explorers are now 0-1-2.

After La Salle opened the scoring, capitalizing on a penalty kick awarded in the 22^nd minute, the Broncs responded with the equalizer in the 28^th and the go-ahead goal in the 43^rd. A perfect cross from Xavi Csato (Stuart, FL/The Pine School [Stetson/UNC Greensboro]) found the head of Polizzi for the equalizer.

Awarded a free kick in the 43^rd, Lovro Kostanjsek (Domzale, Slovenia/Gimnazija Domzale) played the ball to the left post, where it was headed back across the mouth of goal by Max Schrader (Cherry Hill, NJ/Scholar Athletes Leadership Academy). Da Silva's first attempt was blocked, before Drew Heil (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) tipped it back to Da Silva for the finish inside the right post, giving Rider a 2-1 lead at the half.  

Scoreless in the second half through more than 41 minutes, La Salle found the equalizer in the 86^th minute. Playing up a man after a second yellow to a Rider player, La Salle got a free kick in its attacking third, followed in quick succession by a short corner. The Explorers played the ball to the midfield, where Mikey Chiha served the ball into the box, finding Pedro Amadou at the right post. Amadou played it in front to a streaking Oluwatobi Osoba for the finish at the goal line. The final 4:18 would be played without a goal, resulting in the 2-2 draw.

Quotes & Notes
"I think the fight was there. Happy to get on the scoresheet twice tonight, especially at home. The game changed, obviously, once some decisions were made and we go down a man. We've got to find ways to fight and be gritty and I thought the guys did that. Obviously, being down a man, we didn't give up an extra goal there to lose it. I was happy with how they handled that and we had some chances there at the end to maybe make some magic happy. Overall, we wanted a result of a win. But it's OK with us getting out of here with a tie, especially playing down a man." – Rider Head Coach Chad Duernberger

- The Broncs have won six of the last eight meetings (6-1-1) with La Salle, dating back to 2015. Most recently, the Broncs had taken 3-1 victories in 2023 and 2024. Rider leads the all-time series, 14-12-2.
- Freshman Yoav Arikha (Tel Aviv, Israel/Tichonet) started in goal for the Broncs. He made two saves.
- Kaelan Debbage (Queensland, Australia/Kawana Waters State H.S. [Spring Arbor Univ./Gardner Webb]) cleared a would-be La Salle goal off the goal line in the 38^th minute.
- Arikha, Max Schrader (Cherry Hill, NJ/Scholar Athletes Leadership Academy), Leo Arndt (Dusseldorf, Germany/Lore Lorentz College), Kostanjsek and Da Silva each played all 90 minutes.

Broncs By The Numbers
- Polizzi scored his second goal in as many matches.
- Da Silva found the back of the net for the first time this season and the fourth time in two seasons as a Bronc.
- Csato picked up his first assist as a Bronc and the 11^th of his collegiate career, covering three seasons played. The first 10 assists came at Stetson.
- Heil's assist was the first of his collegiate career.
- La Salle attempted 17 shots to the Broncs' 10. However, the Broncs took a 6-5 advantage in shots on goal.
- La Salle took eight corner kicks to the Broncs' three.
- Arndt, Da Silva and Polizzi took two shots apiece. Both of Polizzi's attempts were on target.
- After the first half ended without a caution being issued, the second half featured 11 cards being shown, including a second yellow for a red against the Broncs in the 83^rd minute.

Up Next
The Broncs return to action Monday, when they play host to George Washington at 1 p.m. on Ben Cohen Field. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.