Rider ends scoreless drought, scoops up two points

By Joshua Yuhas and Liliana R. Basile

Rider women’s soccer returned to the scoring column on Oct. 8, collecting a 2-2 draw on the road at Iona University. The Broncs’ two goals against the Gaels snapped a five-game scoreless streak, gaining their first goal since Sept. 14. Later in the week, Rider ended a match against the University of Manhattan on Oct. 11 with a 0-0 tie to pick up a point.

Overcoming early adversity 

The Broncs opened with control of the ball on Oct. 8, passing it back to freshman goalkeeper Ashley Moore in net for a clear, however, the Gaels pushed forward and applied pressure early to cause an unfortunate result.

The clearing attempt caught a Gaels shoulder and 

fell into the back of the net, providing a 1-0 deficit for the Broncs just 38 seconds into the match.

Pressure did not dissolve as the Gaels worked a corner in the 13th minute to extend their lead.

Iona remained in control of the match with two more chances in the next few minutes, one nearly extending their lead when the Gaels shot rebounded off the goal frame in the 22nd minute.

Down 2-0 in the 28th minute, the Broncs faced a tough challenge to mount a comeback, until a foul outside the box provided a free kick for junior defender Bethie Morgan, who rifled a shot into the top-left corner for her first collegiate goal, breaking the Broncs’ scoreless streak to cut the deficit to one.

Iona outshot Rider eight to four in the first half with shots on goal even at two as the game remained 2-1 heading into the second half.

The Broncs carried the momentum into the second half, working a corner kick that found the foot of junior forward Noa Menzing, who slipped a pass over to freshman forward Lauren Black, firing the ball into the back of the net to tie the game at two.

Black’s goal was the first of her collegiate career.

Sophomore forward Valgerður Sigurjónsdóttir provided two quick chances for the Broncs, challenging to take the lead in the 63rd minute, but each attempt was saved.

Moore remained strong in net to maintain the score until the final whistle of the match.

“The team showed good fight after a demoralizing first half. We need the second half bravery and determination for 90 minutes on Saturday,” Rider Head Coach Drayson Hounsome told Rider Athletics.

Iona won the overall shot tally 15 to eight, however, Rider’s five shots on goal gave the Broncs a two-shot 

advantage in that regard.

A scoreless streak snapped and many firsts across 

the pitch highlighted a 2-2 draw.

A cold and wet draw

The Broncs ended their eighth home game this season in a no-score tie against Manhattan University on Oct. 11. 

The match took place at 1 p.m. with wind gusts and rain in the forecast.

Before the first corner kick around the 27th minute, the Broncs already racked up six fouls between three players and one substitution. 

By the end of the first 45 minutes, there was one shot on goal, made by junior forward Ava Ferrie, seven total fouls committed, three saves made by Moore and one corner kick. 

The Broncs came back into the game craving the first goal feeling, but so were the Jaspers. 

Rider’s first yellow card of the game was given out to sophomore forward Tess Ferrie in the third minute of the second half. 

The second shot of the game by the Broncs was made by senior midfielder Leonor Alves and, right after, the second and last yellow card for Rider was given out to junior midfielder Isis Ovares at the 37th minute mark. 

At the end of the 90-minute match, Moore saved a total of seven shots, Rider made two corner kicks, got four shots up and had a total of 14 fouls. 

“We lost possession too many times in the attacking third,” said Hounsome. “Good attacking opportunities and build up play never materialized into goal scoring chances as frequently as we wanted.”

Moore, who had yet another productive outing in her freshman campaign, spoke out about the defense in front of her.

“I think defensively, we held up really strong,” Moore said. The Broncs will look for a win when they welcome Fairfield University at Ben Cohen Field on Oct. 15 at 6 p.m.