Broncs clinch playoff berth after weekend split

By Kadie DiGiuseppe

Rider field hockey shut out Long Island University 4-0, its third Northeastern Conference opponent, on Oct. 25 before traveling to La Salle University on Oct. 27, where the Broncs lost a close 2-3 battle. 

Rider clinched a spot in the Northeast Conference tournament over the weekend after missing out last season. Rider now sits at 10-7 overall for the season and 6-1 in conference play. 

‘Big win for us’

In Brookville, New York, the Broncs took an early lead courtesy of junior defender Megan Normile, who scored her eighth goal of the season in the first four minutes of play. 

Junior forward Valeria Perales had her attempt blocked seconds before junior forward Semra Said completed it, giving Rider an early 2-0 lead against the LIU Sharks. 

Freshman forward Anna Finn and Normile tried shots at the beginning of the second quarter, but neither got by the goalkeeper. 

LIU took two shots and initiated two corners before the first half ended, but the score remained the same: 2-0 in favor of the Broncs. 

Borisow started the second half with a corner, giving Perales a shot, but they could not convert. 

It was not until senior midfielder Lyric Scott assisted Perales minutes later that the Broncs found their third goal of the game. 

The Sharks started biting once the Broncs went up 3-0, initiating four corners and five shots. Rider’s defense locked down, preventing LIU offense from scoring. 

Perales initiated another corner, allowing Normile her second goal of the game just three minutes before the quarter ended. 

Borisow, Perales and freshman forward Olivia Machiavelli maintained their offensive attack into the fourth quarter, but none found the back of the cage. 

Normile said, “We were just sticking to the game plan, and we were executing, which I think was the big difference made in that game.”

Freshman goalkeeper Jade Regnart saved four shots in the fourth quarter, securing the Broncs’ fifth straight win. She finished the game with eight saves to tie her career high.  

Perales said, “This win was a big win for us, obviously, because we were able to clinch. We were ready to work hard because we knew it was a hard game. We knew we had to work hard and trust in our teammates and that is what we did.”

‘We are playing great’

Against the Explorers in Philadelphia, the Broncs started aggressively with attempted but failed shots by Normile and Machiavelli. The Explorers offense claimed the first goal of the game 10 minutes into play. 

Perales, Normile and Machiavelli kept the energy into the second quarter, where Machiavelli scored her 14th goal of the season to tie the game 1-1.

The La Salle offense controlled the rest of the quarter, halftime pausing the game at 1-1. The Explorers had six unsuccessful shots in the third quarter courtesy of the Broncs defensive effort. 

Perales, Normile, Scott and Finn all had multiple failed shot attempts, keeping the game tied until the Explorers offense gained its second goal of the game. 

Normile responded soon after by tying the score again, but La Salle scored the final goal of the game with six minutes left. 

Normile’s performance helped earn her the title of NEC offensive player of the week, but the Broncs were stranded with a 3-2 loss despite outshooting La Salle 17-13.

“Our confidence level is really high, and we’re playing great field hockey right now. We’re really just looking to keep that momentum going into these next games,” Normile said.

The Broncs finish the regular season with a home game against Wagner Nov. 1 at 7 p.m., the winner will take the title of NEC conference champions. The game will be streamed on ESPN+. 

“We’re really confident. We know it’s going to be difficult because [Wagner] is pretty good. Our players are confident,” said Perales.