Men's Soccer

Rider and Manhattan Earn Opening Round Home Wins to Kick-Off the 2023 MAAC Men’s Soccer Championship on Sunday

EDISON, NJ (Nov. 5, 2023) – No. 3 Rider University and No. 4 Manhattan College each protected its home turf with wins in the opening round of the 2023 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Men’s Soccer Championship on Sunday afternoon. The Broncs upended No. 6 Marist College, 3-1, while the Jaspers picked up a 2-0 shutout win over No. 5 Niagara University.
 
No. 3 Rider – 3 | No. 6 Marist – 1
Ben Cohen Field | LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ
Box Score
 
In a rematch of the 2021 MAAC Championship final, the third seeded Rider Broncs (10-3-4) prevailed, defeating the sixth seeded Marist Red Foxes (6-8-3) by a final score of 3-1 in Lawrenceville, NJ on Sunday afternoon. The Broncs opened up the scoring in the 15th minute of action when Babacar Diene blasted a shot from the top left corner of the box into the opposite top right corner of the net. In the 39th minute, Saad Chaouki sent a cross to Momo Diop who would finish with a close range goal to extend Rider’s advantage to 2-0.
 
In the second half, Rider’s lead would grow to 3-0 behind Luke Kirilenko’s tally in the 63rd minute of action. The score remained the same until Marist was able to score late in the match, erasing the shutout in minute 84 as Jared Juleau connected on a penalty kick goal.  
 
Rider Notes and Notables
  • Rider won the shot battle, posting a 15-9 advantage in the win, while logging five on target.
  • Diene led the way with a game-high six shots, followed by three shots by Martin Chladek and two by Zaki Alibou.
  • Diene, Diop, and Kirilenko each found the back of the net for the Broncs with one goal each.
  • Diene’s goal was the 11th of the season, Kirilenko’s was his third of the season, and Diop’s was his second tally on the year.
  • Assists were logged by Alibou and Chaouki.
  • In the net, Adam Salama made five saves in all 90 minutes of work.
  • The win was the first for Rider over Marist in postseason action having failed to advance the previous two meetings.
  • The Broncs return to the semifinals for the first time in two seasons, last making the round in 2021.
 
Marist Notes and Notables
  • Despite being outshot, Marist had a 6-5 edge in shots on goal.
  • Juleau and Kyle Evans each registered a team-high three shots, with Adam Rustami just behind them with a pair shots.
  • The trio also combined to record all six of the Red Foxes’ shots on goal, with all three of them having two on target shots apiece.
  • The goal for Juleau was his fifth of the season.
  • Goalkeeper Luca Bulfon faced five shots and made two save in the losing effort.
 
No. 4 Manhattan – 2 | No. 5 Niagara – 0
Gaelic Park | RIVERDALE, NY
Box Score

The fourth seeded Manhattan Jaspers (7-7-3) earned a 2-0 victory over the fifth seeded Niagara Purple Eagles (4-10-3) in the opening round on Sunday in Riverdale, NY. Manhattan scored one goal in each half beginning with a score by Sebastiano Musu in the 37th minute of play. Nassim Akki sent a pass to Henry Hamilton who fed an open Musu for the game’s opening tally.
 
The Jaspers added the final goal late in the contest with less than 10 minutes to play. In the 82nd minute, Hamilton snuck the ball past Niagara’s keeper for an insurance goal to seal the home win for Manhattan.
 
Manhattan Notes and Notables
  • Manhattan recorded seven shots and had three shots on goal.
  • Gunnar Studenhofft had three shots and Musu had two to lead the squad.
  • Hamilton was the Jaspers top scorer registering a goal and assist for three total points.
  • Hamilton’s goal was the seventh on the year and the assist was his second.
  • Musu’s tally was his fourth goal this season.
  • Additionally, Akki and Studenhofft logged an assist in the win.
  • Danny DiMarco was awarded his third clean sheet of the year, playing all 90 minutes and making three saves.
  • Manhattan is back in the semifinal round for the second consecutive season.
 
Niagara Notes and Notables
  • Niagara’s offense outshot Manhattan’s, 11-7 and matched the Jaspers three shots on goal.
  • The Purple Eagles held a 6-0 corner kick advantage as well.
  • Gianluca Del Priore led the Purple Eagles attack with a team-leading four shots, while Matheus Spina took three shots and Asher Barnes took two.
  • In goal, Jamie Barry recorded two saves in the defeat.
 
The 2023 MAAC Men's Soccer Championship will continue with the semifinals on Thursday, November 9, and conclude with the championship match on Sunday, November 12. Rider advances to meet No. 2 Siena in Loudonville, NY and Manhattan will meet rival No. 1 Iona in New Rochelle, NY in the semifinal round on Thursday with both matches kicking off at 1pm.
 
For all information regarding the 2023 MAAC Men’s Soccer Championship, please visit maacsports.com/msoc.
 
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 43rd year of competition during the 2023-24 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College. Merrimack College and Sacred Heart University will join the MAAC as full members in the 2024-25 academic year, expanding the conference to 13 institutions.
 
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