September 2, 2007 - Longwood 1 Rider 0
September 2, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Men’s College Soccer
Longwood University 1, Rider University 0
FARMVILLE, Va.--Playing without three starters who were serving a suspension from last year, the short-handed Broncs lost the 2007 season opener at Longwood Sunday. “We had four players suspended at the end of last season that carried over until this game,” said Rider head coach Russ Fager. “Three of those players would have started today and I expect them to start Friday.”
The Lancers (1-1) scored an unassisted goal with just 58 seconds left in the first half for the only goal of the game. “The referee made a call that some of our players did not agree with, and while they were arguing, Longwood came down the field and scored,” Fager said.
Longwood out-shot Rider (0-1) 16-5. “We didn’t do anything spectacular today,” Fager said.
Junior goalkeeper Jesse Forsythe (Costa Mesa, Calif./Mater Dei) made five saves. Bryandt Youmans made three saves for Longwood.
“I thought that (junior) Colin Jennings (Wall/Elizabeth) did a great job in the middle of our defense controlling things,” Fager said. “He was a real leader on the field for us today.”
Jennings started all 19 games last season in his first year at Rider after transferring in from Elizabethtown College and serves as a team caption this year. “Colin is a team captain who is mature beyond his years,” Fager said. “He is a tremendous competitor and leader. He has the ability to push himself and those around him to reach goals they never thought possible.”
Also credited with playing well for the Broncs were junior Owen Castle (Belford/Middletown North) and freshmen Tom Antonucci (Warrington, PA/Central Bucks South), Matt Landers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hill) and Andrew Cotes (Selden, NY/Newfield).
“Owen Castle made some nice runs, getting himself dangerous,” Fager said. “Tom Antonucci did an adequate job up top in his first game for us, and Matt Landers played a good portion of the game as an attacking midfielder. He did very well for himself, as did Cotes.”
Rider defeated Longwood 2-0 last season in Lawrenceville. “Longwood is not a bad side,” Fager said. “They are pretty much like they were last year.”
Rider plays Temple Friday in the first round of the Drexel Invitational.
-RU-
