BUFFALO, NY – Hailey Russell (Riverside, NJ/Riverside) scored her team-leading fifth and sixth goals of the season, including the golden goal in the 100^th minute, as the Rider University women’s soccer team earned a 2-1 overtime road victory at Canisius Wednesday. With the win, the Broncs improve to 8-3-4 (5-1-2 MAAC), while the Griffs slip to 6-7-2 (1-5-2 MAAC).

Following a scoreless first half, Russell broke the tie in the 75^th minute, collecting a loose ball near the top of the 18-yard box, before shooting low inside the right post for the 1-0 lead. Canisius would even the score, however, with less than five minutes to play. Hannah Morpurgo played the ball to the goal line before crossing to Margretta Dry at the goal line for the header to tie the game at 1-1.

In the final minute of the first overtime period, Russell was initially turned away by a host of Canisius defenders before Cameron Santers (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) lofted the ball back towards the top of the box. Makenzie Rodrigues (Seattle, WA/Forest Ridge) played it down to Russell, who dodged her defender with a move to the left before arcing a left-footed shot over the goalkeeper and inside the left post for the golden goal.
 

Quotes & Notes

“The weather conditions made the game really, really tough. It was a game of character in the end and,  given the injuries and level of fatigue we have at this stage in the season, I thought we showed buckets of it to get the three points.” – Rider Head Coach Drayson Hounsome

- Rider leads the all-time series with Canisius, 12-10-2, including a 4-0-1 mark in the last five games.
- With today’s results, the Broncs (17 points) have clinched not only a MAAC Championship berth, but a top-four seed in the tournament. Rider can finish no higher than second and no lower than fourth. The top two teams in the standings receive first-round byes, while the third and fourth seeds host quarterfinal games against the fifth and sixth-seeded teams. Monmouth (24 points) has also clinched at least a top-two seed, while Fairfield (19 points) joins Rider in clinching a top-four seed.    
- All of Russell’s six goals this season have come against teams from the state of New York, including her last four in MAAC road games in the state (Oct. 5 at Marist, Oct. 16 at Manhattan, Oct. 23 at Canisius).
- Rider remains unbeaten when scoring first this season at 7-0-2.

- Carmen Carbonell (Valencia, Spain/Guadalaviar School), Ailis Martin (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac), Rodrigues, Teresa Richardson (Las Vegas, NV/Bishop Gorman), Santers and Niamh Cashin (Nottingham, England/All Saints Academy) each played all 100 minutes.
- The Broncs return to action Saturday, when they travel to league-leading Monmouth. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 

Broncs By The Numbers

- Carbonell made six saves in net for the Broncs, while Rider was also credited with a team save for a ball cleared off the goal line by a defender.  
- Russell’s six goals are the most by a Rider freshman since Jennifer Meier scored six times in her freshman campaign of 2010.
- Rider took a 19-14 edge in shots, with both teams putting eight shots on target.   

- The Broncs also took a 3-1 edge in corner kicks.

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