September 17, 2006 - San Diego 11 Rider 0
September 17, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Men’s College Soccer
University of San Diego 11, Rider University 0
SAN DIEGO, CA—The Broncs fell to the powerful Toreros of San Diego in Southern California Sunday. The Broncs went 0-1-1 on their San Diego road trip, having tied San Diego State on Friday. “The road trip was beneficial because it provided a measuring stick for us,” said Rider head coach Russ Fager. “We saw what we need to work on to improve.”
San Diego (5-1) scored 13 minutes into the game, again in the 30th minute, and three times in an eight-minute span just before intermission, taking a 5-0 lead at the half.
Four different Toreros scored twice. “They were sharp-shooting today,” said Fager. “When you take 12 shots and six go in, you know you are hitting on all cylinders, and they certainly were today.”
Rider (3-3-2), ranked sixth in the North Atlantic Region, was out-shot 25-3.
San Diego was picked to finish third in the West Coast Conference, which features two teams currently ranked in the top eight in the nation (Santa Clara and San Francisco).
San Diego’s 2006 freshman class was ranked 11th in the nation this season, and the Toreros brought back 76 percent of the team's goal scoring production from last year.
San Diego out-shot Rider 11-1 in the first half. Rider junior Lee Tomasso (Westfield) fired the first shot of the game on goal nine minutes into the first half for Rider’s only scoring opportunity of the half.
Rider senior goalkeeper Dan Riverso (Williamstown) made six saves in 74 minutes of action. Sophomore Randall Zapolski (Lawrenceville) made one save in the final 15 minutes of the game for the Broncs.
The 11 goals is the most the Broncs have given up since allowing 11 goals to fifth-ranked North Carolina in 2000. “I think that Carolina team was better than this San Diego team, but today they could not do anything wrong, and we paid for every mistake we made,” said Fager. “Everything they touched was golden.”
The Broncs have almost a week to shake off the jet lag, hosting George Washington Saturday afternoon. “I’m looking forward to a nice flight home and to return to campus,” said Fager.
-RU-
