By Pat Costello
Amanda Miller and the Rams had an up and down week with a tough loss to the Billikens and a strong win over the Flyers. (Courtesy of Fordham Athletics).
Last Thursday, the Rams traveled to Saint Louis University for their fifth A-10 matchup of the season. The women were looking to carry the momentum from their two previous victories into the contest, but were unable to do so.
“I’m not sure there was one specific pinpoint as to why we lost, but I do think we were not as sharp as we could have been,” said head coach Jessica Clinton. “St. Louis in general is a tough place. They had a great crowd, it’s a beautiful stadium and the grass was slick when we played.”
The Billikens entered the game at 3-0-1 on the year, matching the Rams at being undefeated for the season. However, the Rams showed no signs of intimidation. The Rams had multiple opportunities to score in the first half, but were unable to find the back of the net. The only goal of the game came in the 55th minute, when Saint Louis’ Kirsten Clemens scored on a breakaway goal. The Rams again had opportunities to score, forcing Billikens goalie Mary Niehaus to make seven total saves, but could not convert down the stretch, eventually losing 1-0.
Following their first A-10 loss of the season, the Rams were given the chance to redeem themselves against the Dayton Flyers. Wearing pink jerseys for Breast Cancer Awareness Day, the Rams played with a new focus. In the third minute senior forward Nicol Natale surprised everyone with her third goal of the year, a double rarity for the Rams because it occurred in the first half and was a Natale header. “Nicol Natale’s header that went in the back of the net isn’t something we see often, but it came at a perfect time,” said Clinton.
The Billikens responded in the 15th minute when Alexis Kiehl turned on the fancy footwork, disheveling the Rams defense and leading to the equalizing goal. However, a few minutes later, the Rams again took the lead. In the 27th minute, the ball was played back to Saint Louis keeper Kaelyn Johns, who was unable to handle the speedy pass. Fordham’s sophomore forward Clara Gastaldi picked up the loose ball and deposited it into the back of the net. “Clara Gastaldi’s high press on the goalkeeper was something that we recognized in scouting them,” said Clinton. “Clara saw the moment and was able to go for it.”
The goal would prove to be enough, as the Department of Defense was able to hold off the Billiken’s offensive attack in the second half. “One piece of the half time talk is that we didn’t know what Dayton would look like in the 2nd half. We knew they would change, but did not know to what degree,” said Clinton. The Rams knew they had to keep their foot on the gas pedal and play a full 90 minutes. “Dayton became direct in their play, which meant that we had to absorb a lot of pressure,” said Clinton. “If we lost the ball, we knew that our backline would have to absorb it again and again and again.” The backline did just that, providing perfect protection of the lead. The 2-1 victory moved the Rams to 8-4-3 for the season and 3-1-2 in the A-10.
It was imperative that the Rams had a positive bounce-back performance against the Flyers. “The response to Dayton was terrific. We know how important it is to be successful for our home games,” said Clinton. “Our senior class has traveled to play Dayton 3 years in a row and had not been successful against Dayton during their careers. They had something to prove and that created the energy and passion needed right out of the gates.”
The Rams will look to carry the momentum into their 7 p.m. matchup against George Washington on Thursday, their second to last home game of the season.
