Women downed by Washington / Men crush Rhode Island
 
(South Huntington, N.Y.) – Playing back home after spending the past handful of games on the road, the Rough Riders men’s and women’s team split their third doubleheader of the season on Saturday night. The women were downed by the Washington Freedom 3-1 in the opener and to cap off the night, the men defeated the Rhode Island Stingrays 7-1.
 
The Rough Riders women started off on the wrong foot as four minutes into the start of the match, they found themselves down 1-0. Meghan Lenczyck pounced on a misplayed ball by Rough Riders goalkeeper Kim Yacenda to give the Freedom the early lead.
 
Early in the second half, Washington extended their lead with two goals in five minutes. Kimmy Germain would tally in the 52nd minute and Jenn Parsons would add the third goal of the night for Washington, putting her shot just over Yacenda’s fingertips and into the back of the net.
 
Just two minutes later, the Rough Riders tried to claw their way back as Brooke DeRosa headed home a Kerri McCabe cross to cut the lead to two. Freedom goalkeeper Eliza Bennett-Hattan would make six saves on the night to give Washington the victory.
 
The women’s team falls to 2-2-1 (7 pts.) and in a tie with the Boston Renegades for first-place in the Northeast Division.
 
Goals were aplenty in the men’s 7-1 win over Rhode Island in the nightcap. Goals from Danny Kramer, John Pardini and Ben Arikian would give the Rough Riders a commanding 3-1 lead heading into halftime. If not for two tremendous saves by Stingrays goalkeeper Jonathan Nydell, the Rough Riders could have added to their first half total.
 
After coming in as a substitute for Adam Himeno at halftime, Mike Todd didn’t waste much time making his presence known on the Cy Donnelly Stadium pitch.
 
Todd netted his first goal of the evening in the 55th minute and then adding a firecracker from 25 yards out four minutes later to put the Rough Riders up 5-1.
 
John Pardini would add his second of the night in the 74th minute and Alex Ayala would score the final goal of the night in the 86th minute.
 
Goalkeeper Ryan Meara made four saves on the night for his third win of the season.
 
The win put the Rough Riders men at 5-1-0 and keeps them atop the Northeast Division standings as they prepare for a road game on Tuesday night against the Brooklyn Knights.
 
The Rough Riders next home doubleheader is Saturday, June 6th when the women’s team hosts the Western Mass Lady Pioneers at 5PM and the men take on the New Jersey Rangers at 7:30PM. For more information the Rough Riders 2009 schedule or to purchase tickets, please visit www.liroughriders.com or call (516) 622-3900.

About the Long Island Rough Riders
The Long Island Rough Riders have been part of the Long Island soccer scene since their inception in 1994. The Rough Riders men and women’s team won their first National Championship in 1995. The Rough Riders men’s team featured former US National Team members Chris Armas, Tony Meola, and MLS star Giovanni Savarese. Since their initial success, the Rough Riders men’s team has gone on to win the United Soccer League (USL) 2nd Division National Championship in 2002 and has sent numerous players to Major League Soccer (MLS).
In 2007 the Rough Riders reacquired a W-League franchise, which was formerly known as the Lady Riders. The Rough Riders women’s team qualified for the Eastern Conference Finals in 2008.

In recent years, the Rough Riders organization has expanded to include the Junior Rough Riders program, featuring elite level players from 8 to 17 years of age.  Junior Rough Riders teams from 13 to 17 years old participate in the Super Y-League (SYL), the youth component of the USL.