LOUDONVILLE, NY — Behind a second half comeback that spanned less than 10 minutes, Siena Men's Soccer and the Rider Broncs battled to a 3-3 draw on Saturday on Hickey Field. The Broncs surged to an early lead with three goals in the first half, but the Saints responded with a strong second half, netting three goals to level the match. Despite outshooting Rider 21-8, the Saints' comeback efforts were held in check by Rider's defense in the final minutes, resulting in a tense stalemate.
 
The first half began with the Saints taking the offensive initiative, with early shots from Martin Piedeleu and Eric Svensson testing Rider's defense. Despite the aggressive start, the Saints were unable to capitalize, while Rider struck first with a goal by Lovro Kostanjšek in the 8th minute and followed with another from Xavi Csato in the 10th minute.
 
Siena continued to press forward, generating chances with shots from Lucas Almeida and Lee Mara, but solid defense and goalkeeping by Marius Helias kept them off the scoreboard. Rider extended their lead with a third goal by Ryan Vaubel in the 36th minute. The half closed with the Saints trailing 3-0, despite multiple attacking opportunities.
 
The second half began with the Saints trailing but quickly saw a shift in momentum. Despite initial pressure from Rider, Siena's defense held firm, with Bennett Glinder making a crucial save in the 68th minute. This defensive stand catalyzed Siena's offensive surge, beginning with Lucas Almeida's goal in the 69th minute, assisted by Piedeleu and Miguel Plaza, narrowing the deficit to 3-1.
 
Siena continued to build on this momentum, with Christian Amaral leveling the game at 3-2 in the 76th minute, assisted by Svensson. Less than two minutes later, Plaza scored the equalizer, assisted by Ben Biton, bringing the score to 3-3. The Saints maintained offensive pressure until the half ended, but neither team could break the deadlock, resulting in a 3-3 draw at the final whistle.
 
Siena mounted a remarkable comeback in the second half, overturning a three-goal deficit to draw level with the Broncs. Piedeleu's assist led to a pivotal goal by Almeida at the 68th minute, sparking momentum that saw Amaral and Plaza also score within a 10-minute span. The Saints' offensive pressure was evident with multiple shots on target and four corner kicks, which helped neutralize Rider's initial advantage. The half concluded with a 3-3 tie, as Siena outscored Rider 3-0.
 
Plaza scored one goal and added an assist, contributing significantly to the offense. Almeida found the back of the net once, with each of his three shots being on target. Glinder, in goal, recorded one save while facing eight shots. Svensson provided an assist and registered two shots on goal.
 
The Saints move to 4-4-2 overall and remain unbeaten in conference play at 3-0-1. The Broncs go to 1-7-3 overall with a league mark of 0-2-2.
 
Looking ahead, the Saints will host Sacred Heart on October 11 at 3 p.m. on Hickey Field.