By Leighton Schneider
The Rams are off to a 4-2 start in the Atlantic 10. Ram Archives
The Fordham women’s soccer team split its Atlantic 10 games this past week. The team beat St. Louis University 1-0 on Thursday night, before dropping a 3-1 decision to Dayton on Sunday. Redshirt senior forward Kristina Maksuti scored the lone goal Thursday, while junior forward Nicol Natale scored on Sunday.
In a game that featured the top defensive team in the A-10, Fordham, and the top offensive team, St. Louis, the Rams came away as the more complete team. The Billikens came into the game averaging 28 shots per game, but ended the game with only seven shots.
Fordham goalkeeper Megan Fitzgerald had two saves. Fordham’s offense came out firing from the start, getting the first five shots of the game. Head coach Jessica Clinton thought that the Rams were able to take advantage of the St. Louis defense.
“We were able to exploit the areas that we knew they would leave the space open,” said Clinton. “With our fast players up front we were able to get [a goal] by getting behind the defense.”
The lone goal of the game came in the 51st minute by Maksuti. The action started when sophomore midfielder Carlie Wagner sent a through ball up to Natale. Natale dribbled it to the corner of the six-yard box before passing the ball into the middle, where graduate student Jessica Widmann and Maksuti attempted shots that were deflected away. Wagner was able to corral the ball and pass it to an open Maksuti, who was able to sneak the ball between the goalkeeper and the right post.
The goal was Maksuti’s fifth of the year and 22nd in her career, which moved her into a tie for fourth in Fordham history. Fitzgerald recorded her sixth shutout of the year, moving her record to 9-5 on the year.
On Sunday, the Rams fell to the Dayton Flyers 3-1 in a match that had a total of 31 shots.
Dayton started the game out fast, scoring in the third and tenth minute. The Rams were able to get within one goal in the 65th minute when Natale scored her second goal of the year, while Wagner recorded her third assist of the year, pushing her point streak to three games.
Fordham continued to press the field looking for the tying goal, but Dayton scored the final goal of the game in the 87th minute.
Fitzgerald made four saves in the loss.
The team also split its games two weeks ago against Virginia Commonwealth and St. Bonaventure.
Fordham fell to VCU 3-2 in overtime. Maksuti and Widmann scored for the Fordham Rams.
Maksuti scored on a header following Briana Blunck’s corner kick. VCU tied the game in the 49th minute following a corner kick.
Widmann put the Rams back up 2-1 in the 58th minute following a cross from Freshman forward Caitlin Leen. VCU tied it back up in the 83rd minute before scoring the game winning goal in the fourth minute of overtime.
Against St. Bonaventure’s, Fordham won 2-1. Fitzgerald almost recorded a shutout, but the Bonnies were able to score on a penalty kick in the 90th minute. Wagner and Widmann scored for the Rams. Wagner opened the scoring in the 59th minute, with assists to Widmann and Leen. Widmann made it 2-0 in the 71st minute with an assist to Maksuti.
Next up for the Rams are the A-10 leading George Washington Colonials on Thursday, Oct. 22, and the Richmond Spiders on Sunday, Oct. 25.
