Broncs tally win, loss and draw in non-conference, lose the Metro opener

By Joshua Yuhas

To begin the 2026 season, the Rider women’s soccer team collected each type of result in non-conference play with a 1-0 win at Wagner College, a 1-1 draw at NJIT and a 2-1 loss at home to Temple University, then opened Metro Conference play with a 3-0 loss at Fairfield.

Empty loss column

Both sides produced a pair of corner kicks within the first 15 minutes of the season opener on Aug. 13 against the Wagner Seahawks.

On the final corner, the Broncs opted for a short pass, where junior back Leah Marcell found sophomore back Ella Baumgardt in pace. 

From within the 15-yard mark of the football field, Baumgardt fired a laser into the top right corner for her first collegiate-career goal.

The Seahawks launched a pair of shots in the following minutes, but sophomore goalkeeper Ashley Moore made two saves to keep the game scoreless heading into halftime.

Sitting evenly in the stats at half, Wagner’s offense had nine shots in the second half to Rider’s two.

Junior forward Tess Ferrie would tally the only two shots for the second half of the match for the Broncs, with one being saved by the Seahawks’ goalkeeper.

The Rider defense held strong to squash each threat brought against them to secure the 1-0 shutout victory.

Staying on the road, the Broncs faced off against the NJIT Highlanders on Aug. 16.

The Broncs first shot would not come until the 32nd minute, when Ferrie’s shot was saved.

In net, Moore was forced to make a pair of saves that then set up the momentum for a free kick just by the right sideline for senior back Bethie Morgan.

Morgan, recognizing some open space by the right post, lofted the ball past the Highlanders’ goalkeeper to give the Broncs a 1-0 lead.

Despite trailing in shot totals nine to three, Rider held a one-goal lead heading into halftime.

The Highlanders continued the trend in the second half with 10 shots to the Broncs’ three, and eventually were able to break one past to tie it all at one.

Constant pressure led to no avail for NJIT, and a pair of last minute shot attempts would not go for Rider either, ending the match in a 1-1 draw.

Empty no more

After the two road matchups, the Broncs made their first trip home to play on Ben Cohen Field to take on the Temple Owls on Aug. 27.

After an hour-and-a-half start delay due to rain, the Broncs opened the match slowly, surrendering two goals in the first 15 minutes.

At halftime, Temple commanded the shot totals, leading nine to two and carried a 2-0 advantage over Rider into the second half of action.

The Broncs started to put pressure on the Owls with a shot in the 71st minute and a chance saved by the Owls’ goalkeeper in the 79th.

After receiving a pass from junior midfielder Ava DeGeorge in the 81st minute, freshman forward  Elaine Joy sent a cross, which freshman midfielder Cali Freidel brought down and sent into the net.

“If she crosses to me, it’s going to be great. She crossed it right to me, and I just had to take a touch and finish it,” Friedel said.

Joy collected her first collegiate assist and Friedel her first collegiate goal as the two freshmen worked together to bring the match within one, but that would be all that was left in the tank.

“We didn’t quite have enough to create another opportunity,” Head Coach Drayson Hounsome said. “We got the ball into that area of the field, but maybe we took an extra touch or the cross was delayed or it got blocked. Happy with the second half, not happy with the first half.”

Following their non-conference run with a 1-1-1 record, the Broncs traveled back on the road to face the Fairfield Stags on Sept. 5.

The Stags ran the pace of play from the opening whistle, but the Broncs had premium chances when they could produce them.

Moore kept Fairfield scoreless for most of the first half, until the Stags broke through in the 41st minute.

A save in the final minute of the first half left Moore with five saves after facing 15 shots, while the Stags faced just two. 

In the second half, the Stags outshot the Broncs 28 to one, with Moore adding another four saves.

Fairfield notched their second and third goals late in the match to seal a 3-0 loss for Rider.

The Rider Broncs will return home to Ben Cohen field on Sept. 12 against Siena University. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.