VILLANOVA, Pa. – The Villanova Wildcats got goals from sophomore Dominic Cyriacks and senior Seidu Shamsudeen to help lift them past Rider 2-0, in a season opening men's soccer match played under blistering sunshine and temperatures in the low 90s Thursday afternoon.
 
Goalkeeper Carson Williams earned the shutout with a large assist from junior defender Anthony Dragisics, whose sliding effort prevented a goal in the 60^th minute after Rider's Tyrell Moore fired towards an apparent open net.
 
"It was hot so we defended probably a little bit more than we wanted to," stated head coach Tom Carlin. "We didn't create as many chances as we wanted to but we worked hard in transition. We had good fundamental, sound defensive work.
 
"Our possessions were good. We weren't getting final product out of it. We got two goals out of it, so you can't be too disappointed."
 
Cyriacks registered the season's first goal at 26:15, firing a low shot inside the left post. Junior Lyam MacKinnon picked up the assist on the score.
 
That's where matters stood at halftime.
 
Rider's best chance came in the second half when Moore won a race with Williams to a loose ball 22 yards in front of the Villanova goal. Moore then dribbled toward the open net and sent a ball along the turf that appeared ticketed for the net before a sliding Dragisics knocked the bid away.
 
A similar play gave the Wildcats their second goal.
 
With time winding down and Rider pressing for the equalizer, Shamsudeen beat Broncs goalkeeper Pablo Gatinois to a loose ball 30 yards in front of goal, chipped it past him, and then deposited his shot into the open net at 88:57.
 
"When you're an experienced team, as we are, you find ways to win games," Carlin stated. "Whoever you are on the day is who you are. We go through all the attacking and set pieces but on the day, you are who you are. You've got to find ways to win the game and that's what experience does.
 
"We managed the game real well. We made a little adjustment defensively at halftime. I thought it worked. It slowed them down a little bit. On the day, we weathered the storm and got through it."

Temperature at kickoff was 91 degrees and the real feel temperature hovered near 100 degrees with the humidity factored in  Two hydration breaks were added for each half. 
 
The Wildcats return to the Higgins Soccer Complex on Monday, when they will host the University of Hartford Hawks at 4 p.m. That contest will be streamed via the BIG EAST Digital Network Presented by SoFi on FloSports. You can find the link on the Men's Soccer page at villanova.com.