FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2005

Men's College Soccer

Rider University 1, Siena College 1 (2ot)

LOUDONVILLE, NY--Junior defender Jacob Kratt makes the most of his opportunities. On Friday, he saw an opportunity and scored his first collegiate goal to help Rider tie Siena in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game. At Eastern University, he saw an opportunity to play on an NCAA Division III Tournament team if he’d become a goalkeeper.

“We put Jacob in the Philadelphia U. game (sixth game of the season) and he hasn’t come out since,” said Rider head coach Russ Fager.  “Jacob is a big ball winner for us.  He wins balls.  He plays with lots of emotion and he works hard. He’s not always pretty but he gets the job done.”

Even if the job is goaltending.

“When I was at Eastern I wasn’t playing much (seven games in two years) but when one of our goalies got hurt I tried out for that,” said Kratt, who was a standout defender at one of the top teams in South Jersey, Moorestown High School. “When the other goalie got into some trouble off of the field, I started two games.” Kratt allowed just one goal in over 180 minutes of action in the Eastern nets.

Kratt had always been a defender, and never played goalie before, at least not in soccer.  “I played goalie in hockey for about seven years, so I used what I had learned from that,” Kratt said.  “But I’d much rather play defender. I like to be where the action is.”

Kratt has seen plenty of action now, playing the last eight games and starting seven. “Jacob scored from about 30 yards out,” Fager said, “a blast with his right foot. And he almost scored with his left foot late in the game.”

Kratt’s goal gave Rider (2-7-3, 1-1-1 MAAC) a 1-0 lead 18 minutes into the second half.  “I saw an opportunity to shoot it and I took it,” said Kratt, who scored on his first shot of the season.  Siena (2-7-1, 0-1-1 MAAC) tied the score with just seven minutes left in the second half.

Siena out-shot Rider 27-10, including 8-1 in overtime.  Rider junior goalkeeper Dan Riverso (Williamstown) made eight saves.  “Dan played very well today,” Fager said. If he hadn’t, Kratt would have been more than eager to get in the net.  “I played goalie at Eastern because I’d do anything to contribute, to help the team. Here, the guys joke around that I’m unofficially the fourth Rider goalie.”

After two years at Eastern it was time for a change for Kratt.

“I wasn’t happy at Eastern, and Coach Fager gave me a chance to try out for the Rider team as a walk-on,” Kratt said. “I worked real hard when I got my chance a few games back and I managed to keep getting better. I’m trying to grow in confidence, and today I was in the right spot at right time.”

Just taking advantage of an opportunity.

Rider travels to Marist for a MAAC game Sunday.

-RU-