Bronx, N.Y. – On a picture perfect day in the Bronx, the Fordham women's soccer team sent off their senior class in style on Sunday, as the Rams picked up a 2-0 victory over the Saint Louis Billikens at Jack Coffey Field.
With the win, Fordham finishes the year at 6-8-5 overall, 3-5-2 in the Atlantic 10, while Saint Louis lost for only the second time this season, as they finished the regular season at 15-2-2 overall, 7-2-1 in the league.
Saint Louis controlled much of the first half, registering eight shots against Fordham goalkeeper
Colleen Hickey. Hickey was up to the challenge, making three saves to keep the game scoreless, which included a shot from Brionna Halverson that Hickey got a hand on and went off the left post.
Carlie Wagner jumps into Charlotte Rossi's arms after scoring on Sunday.
The score remained that way until the 56
th minute, when Fordham senior
Carlie Wagner scored her team-leading fourth goal of the season to put Fordham on top 1-0.
Clara Gastaldi played a through ball to Wagner, who laid a chip shot over Saint Louis goalkeeper Mary Niehaus from 25 yards out. The ball just went over Niehaus' fingers, but still had the momentum to go into the net for the first goal of the game.
Just five minutes later, the Rams put another goal on the board for a 2-0 lead. Gastaldi went on a run up the left side, and played a give-and-go with
Charlotte Rossi, springing Gastaldi free. She lined up a shot from 20 yards into the right side of the net, past the diving keeper.
The two-goal lead held up, as Hickey made one more save to complete her first career shutout. The two-goal performance by the Rams was also the first time all season that the Billikens allowed multiple goals in a game.
The win also ended the careers for the three Fordham seniors: Wagner,
Natalie Sims, and
Rachel Collage. Collage was unable to play in the game due to injury, finishing her career as a three-year starter, while for Wagner, it marked the third straight Senior Day that a Fordham senior has scored or assisted on the game-winning or game-tying goal. And for Sims, it was her 79
th career game, tying Mariella Romano (2008-11) for the all-time lead at Fordham in games played. Sims did not miss a single game over the last four seasons, and started 70 consecutive games, ending today.
