Riverdale, N.Y. (October 21, 2007) ? Finding themselves down 2-0 a few minutes into the second half, the Manhattan College men's soccer team mounted a furious comeback that resulted in a 2-2 tie.
After a back and forth first half-hour battle in the midfield between Manhattan and Rider, Rider went up 1-0 in the 30th minute after Jim Bradley came up with a ball after a post-corner kick scramble and put the ball into the top corner of the net. The Broncos then went up 2-0 just a minute and a half into the second half when Tom Dunn took a pass from Nico Tramontano and slotted the ball past Jasper keeper John Ciano.
But the Jaspers didn't put their heads down and in the 58th minute, Manhattan freshman striker Thomas Bandov muscled through two Rider defenders to spin out of the corner to get a shot off. The shot was handled in the box by a Rider defender, resulting in a penalty kick that was nicely finished by Manhattan midfielder Josh Swett.
Then, five minutes later, a Jasper corner kick from senior defender Adam Kiley was banged off of Manhattan's sophomore defender Stephen Van Rossem and directed to senior defender Dan Cipriano who shot the ball into the Rider net to tie the game.
Manhattan had a chance to win the game with just under five minutes to go in regulation, but a shot by freshman midfielder Jake Ostrov hit the post.
Manhattan outshot Rider 20-14 on the game, and had 11 corner kicks to Rider's six.
Goalkeeper Ciano had four saves for the Jaspers who are now 2-10-2 and 0-4-1 in the MAAC. Bronc keeper Randall Zapolski had five saves for Rider who is now 5-8-2 and 0-4-2 in the MAAC.
The Jaspers next head to Buffalo where they will take on Canisius on Friday, October 26, and Niagara on Sunday, October 28. Friday's kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Canisius, while Sunday's game starts at noon at Niagara.
