October 1, 2005 - Richmond 2 Rider 1

• Box Score

October 1, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Men's College Soccer
University of Richmond 2, Rider University 1

RICHMOND, VA—In 2004 the Rider men’s soccer team began the season 0-8, but once the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference schedule began, the Broncs won their first three conference games and went on to compete in the MAAC Title Game. This year Rider has completed the non-conference portion of the schedule, and now looks to once again turn things around in the MAAC.  “Nine games down, nine to go, and these nine are the ones that really count,” said Rider head coach Russ Fager.  “These are the big ones."

The Broncs lost at Richmond Saturday evening.

For Rider (1-6-2), junior Adam Bailey (Southampton, PA/Archbishop Wood) took a pass from sophomore Lee Tomasso (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) and scored on a breakaway to tie the score at 1-1 11 minutes into the second half. “The ball came down the right side, Lee poked it through, I ran to the top of the 18 and fired it low into the right corner,” said Bailey, who now has four goals as a Bronc.  “I think the goal picked us up, we had some intensity after that.”

Richmond (4-3-2) took a 1-0 lead with 12 minutes left in the first half.  “Richmond’s first goal was a beautiful goal, a direct kick from 25 yards out over our wall into the net,” said Fager. Richmond took a 2-1 lead with 28 minutes left in the second half.

“The next nine games are a whole new season,” said Bailey.  “We’re 0-0 in conference play, and we’re beginning to play as a team.  We are much better than we were a month ago, we’re getting more comfortable with each other, and we’re a better team now.”

Richmond out-shot Rider 15-5, and had four corner kicks. Rider did not have a corner kick in the game. “We had a 15-minute period where we played very well, we played hard, and we controlled play,” said Fager. “But as you know, the game is 90 minutes long.”

Rider junior goalkeeper Dan Riverso (Williamstown) made five saves, while Eric Sciocchetti made two saves for Richmond.

Rider hosts Canisius in the first MAAC game of the season October 7. “We have to be ready for the conference games,” said Fager.  “The freshmen and sophomores are contributing well, getting things done, but we need the upperclassmen to contribute more.  The good news is that we are much deeper now than at this point last year, we have more ability than last year. But we have to bring our ‘A’ game to every contest from now on, starting Friday.”

The second season, the one that counts, begins Friday at home.

-RU-