NEW ROCHELLE, NY - Senior
Ansger Otto's three goals and one assist helped push the Iona College men's soccer team to a wild 6-5 victory over Rider University Sunday afternoon at Mazzella Field.
Senior
Alvaro Torrecilla got the Gaels on the board in the sixth minute, putting in his fourth goal of the season from a strike 15 yards out off assists from Otto and junior
Samuel Adjei. Otto notched his first goal of the day in the 26th minute. After a pass from Torrecilla, junior
Franklin Castellanos dropped a pass in to Otto, who outran his defender and chipped a shot over the head of Rider goalkeeper Matt Perrella giving Iona a 2-0 lead.
After a goal by Rider's Dave Benavidez in the 39th minute cut the Iona to one at the half, Otto scored his second in the 54th minute. After a pass from senior
Robbie Krohmer, Otto shook his defender and beat Perrella with a shot to the left side of the cage.
Adjei would score his first of his two goals just over 40 seconds later. Racing down the left side of the field, Adjei fielded a pass from freshman
Saul Ortega and rifled a shot into the opposite side for his third goal of the season.
Rider's Dan Friga scored in the 58th minute to cut Iona's lead to two at 4-2 before Adjei scored his second goal of the game in the 59th minute off an assist by sophomore
Ignacio Maganto.
Jens Warncke scored his first of two goals in the 63rd minute when the Broncs converted a free kick. Rider's Eric Elgin took the free kick, with Warncke taking the feed and putting it past Iona goalkeeper
Borja Barbero. Warncke scored just over 15 minutes later, in the 79th minute, when he directed a corner kick into the net.
Otto scored his third goal of the contest in the 82nd minute. On an Iona transition, Castellanos and Otto took advantage of the two on one with Otto finishing the play from three yards out.
Rider countered with a goal by Matti Grahle less than thirty seconds later, but the Gaels were able to hang on for their fourth MAAC win of the season.
Iona outshot Rider 14-12 overall, despite allowing the Broncs 11 shots in the second half. Barbero finished with two saves while Perrella made five saves for Rider.
Iona returns to action next Friday, when they take on Canisius at 7:00 pm.
