The men’s soccer team’s pursuit of a .500 record has gone back and forth. Tonight they will look to get back to that mark against winless Rider.

“[Rider] has struggled this year,” coach David MacWilliams said. “But we have to get back to playing the way we’re capable of.”

After starting out the season 1-1-1, the Owls dropped their next two games before winning back-to-back games. Their record stood at 3-3-1 before losing 1-0 to City 6 rival Villanova.

Perhaps the most alarming statistic is Temple’s inability to beat tough teams. The clubs that the Owls have beaten this year (Manhattan, St. Peter’s, and Howard) are a combined 2-23-1. The rest of Temple’s opponents are 27-16-2. Rider (0-7) resembles the type a team the Owls have had success against in 2012.

“We’re going up the their facility to take on a wounded animal, so to speak,” MacWilliams said.

Rider has been shutout three times so far in 2012. They’ve tallied just five goals in seven games. Last weekend against Penn they surrendered seven goals. The Rider roster features 12 freshmen.

The Owls will have a week off following tonight’s matchup. Atlantic 10 Conference play will get underway next Friday against St. Bonaventure, followed by Duquesne on Sunday.

Tonight’s game against Rider begins at 7 p.m. in Lawrenceville, N.J.

-Tyler Sablich