Broncs pick up two points in two MAAC draws

By Benjamin Shinault and Liliana R. Basile

The Broncs are slowly gathering some points as they move deeper into Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play, securing two points in a draw against the Manhattan University Jaspers on Oct. 1 and a draw against the Siena University Saints on Oct. 4.

Draw under the lights

Rider men’s soccer ended their fifth home game against Manhattan on Oct. 1 with a hard earned tie, 1-1.

The Broncs welcomed the Manhattan Jaspers at 7 p.m. under the lights of Ben Cohen field. This would be Rider’s third MAAC game they have played this season. 

Rider was put to the test early in the first half with only one corner kick and one shot on goal made by junior forward Patryk Rojek, before the Jaspers were able to get the ball in the back of the net, leaving the score 1-0 Manhattan. 

By the end of the first half, Rider was able to put four shots up on the board, with a total of three corner shots and two fouls called.

Coming back from half time, the Broncs came out fired up with more determination. At the 33-minute mark, the third shot on net ended up being the one to tie the game. 

The goal was scored by Rojek off a pass from senior midfielder Luke Kirilenko that deflected off his head and found the back of the net. 

A red card was given to the Jaspers around the 36-minute mark and not even a minute later, a yellow card was given out to Rojek.

Rider ended the game with a tie but put a total of 11 shots up, five saves, a total of five corner kicks and nine fouls. 

“I saw more fight and grit and togetherness in this group, which I think we’ve been lacking, which is the way we play, which is the Rider way,” said Head Coach Chad Duernberger. “We played very well as a unit,” said Rojek, “There’s a lot of communication back there, which was very good from our center backs and our outside wings. We experimented a little bit today in the back, and stopped the bleeding, so it was pretty good.”

Wheels fell off

In what looked like the Broncs first victory since Sept. 1, quickly turned into a 3-3 draw against the Siena Saints on Oct. 4. 

Rider got right into it to start. In  the first seven minutes of the match, the Broncs found the back of the net, thanks to senior midfielder Lovro Kostanjsek. 

Shortly after, in the ninth minute, Rider added another goal, this time off the foot of senior forward Xavi Csato to give the Broncs a commanding 2-0 lead. 

The Broncs held onto their lead up until the 35th minute when they scored their third goal of the season from junior defender Ryan Vaubel.

In the 68th minute of the match, Siena scored to make it 3-1. And about seven minutes later, the Saints found the back of the net again to make it 3-2. 

The clock reached the 77th-minute mark and the Saints tied it up at three. Siena scored three goals in about 22 minutes to tie the Broncs.

Time ran out and Rider settled with a draw. By the end of the match, Siena totaled 21 shots against the Broncs with eight on goal and also had nine corner kicks in comparison to Rider’s one.

The Broncs will take the tough point and run with it as they now look ahead to their next match against Fairfield University on Oct. 11 at 4 p.m.