For the GW men’s soccer team, the 2-1 loss to Rider University Saturday afternoon was the kind of start the Colonials wanted, but not the finish.
Sophomore Andy Stadler scored his fifth goal of the season just 13 seconds into the game, off a pass from senior Joachim Walker. The Broncs appeared to immediately make adjustments and “played the way they had to (in order to) win the game,” Rider coach Russ Stager said.
“GW forced the game but we adapted well. We always spot them one goal each year and then they spot us another,” Stager added.
Stager also said that he thought the better team did not win today, as the Colonials (3-3) controlled play about 75 percent of the time.
The score was evened in the 15th minute when Rider (3-4) senior Colin Jennings sent a shot from 45 yards out that skimmed off a GW defender and by goalie Greg Yahr.
The winning goal came in the 40th minute, after the Colonials were called for a foul, giving the Broncs a free kick from 20 yards out. Senior Lee Tomasso found freshman Tom Antonucci alone in front of the goal, and Antonucci headed it home past a leaping Yahr.
“(We took) a few breaks during the game and that proved costly,” assistant coach Bryan Davis said. “We can’t take breaks or give them an inch. Today we did and that was the difference. We were the more aggressive team, outshooting them 18-4, but could not find the back of the net. As we move forward we can’t let on us.”
Sophomore Luke Wildy said he agreed with Stager’s assesment that the Colonials were the better team despite coming up on the losing end.
“We have to get back to the basics. We’re only six games in and know we are better than the result today,” he said.
Wildy sent a cross to senior Abimbola Pedro with 12 minutes left but Pedro’s shot, which would have tied the game, hit the left post. Pedro said he thought the early goal was actually detrimental to the Colonials’ game.
“We got hyped up after the early goal and because of that, we got too comfortable,” he said
“Two mistakes and the game was over. We must look in the mirror and fix our few mistakes and put teams away early,” Davis added.
The Colonials next host Mount Saint Mary’s Sept. 29 at 3 p.m.
