Fordham University Athletics

Davidson, N.C. – Behind another big second half flurry, the Fordham men's soccer team advanced to the Atlantic 10 Championship game with a 4-0 win over the Rhode Island Rams at Alumni Soccer Stadium in Davidson, North Carolina.
 
With the win, Fordham improved its record to 10-6-3 on the season, while Rhode Island ended its season at 8-10-1.  The Rams now advance to their third Atlantic 10 title game overall and second in the last three years, while also reaching double figures in wins for the first time since 2011.
 
"It was a very tough game tonight, and getting that early goal was very important," said head coach Jim McElderry after the game. "URI put us under pressure in the first half, but we held strong and were very good defensively in the second half."
 
Fordham struck early in the first half to get on the scoreboard in the 16^th minute.  Chris Bazzini got the play started, chipping the ball toward the six-yard box from the right side.  The ball was knocked down by a Rhode Island defender and mishandled, allowing Ole Sandnes to fire the loose ball into the net from six yards out for his first goal of the season.
 
The game stayed at 1-0 into the second half, despite a multitude of yellow cards, which were handed out over the first 65 minutes of action.  The game then turned on Rhode Island, when Dante Lamb was red carded in the 66^th minute, forcing URI to play down a man, trailing by one.
 
Fordham took advantage of the short-handed situation, extending the lead to 2-0 in the 74^th minute.  Cole Stevenson took the ball up the right side of the box, crossing the ball to Eric Ohlendorf near the left post. Ohlendorf knocked the ball back in front of the goal, where Jannik Loebe knocked it in for his sixth goal of the season.

 
Sandnes struck again for Fordham in the 84^th minute to bring the lead to 3-0.  Stevenson was sent a long run up the right side of the box, and cut across the top of the box.  He left a back heel pass to Sandnes, who ripped a shot from 18 yards to the lower left corner for his second goal of the game.
 
Sandnes then went for the hat trick in the 85^th minute, but was brought down in the box for a penalty kick, with the Rhode Island defender receiving a red card on the play.  Loebe would take the penalty kick for Fordham, and converted for his second goal of the game and seventh of the year.
 
The offensive barrage was enough was the Fordham defense for the second straight night, as goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu made three saves for the clean sheet, his sixth of the season.
 
"We are excited to reach another final.  VCU is a very good team, so it should be a great match," said McElderry.
 
The Fordham men's soccer team will now move on to the Atlantic 10 Championship final against the VCU Rams on Sunday, November 13^th at noon.  The game will be broadcast by the American Sports Network, and seen in the local New York area on SportsNet NY (SNY).