Sept. 5, 2010

Hempstead, N.Y. - The Fordham women's soccer team is back in action this afternoon with a 3:00 PM match-up at the Hofstra Invitational against host Hofstra. The game will be televised by Verizon Fios1 Sports and can be seen on tape delay. Please check local listings for channel availablility.

Today's game: Following a 1-0 loss to St. John's on Friday, the Fordham women's soccer team is back in action on Sunday against the Hofstra Pride in the final soccer match of the Hofstra Invitational.

Fordham enters the match at 3-1-0, hoping to improve to 4-1-0 for the first time since 2004. The Pride are 1-1 following a 3-1 win over the Rhode Island Rams on Friday.

This is the 13th meeting between the Rams and Pride with Hofstra holding a 9-2-1 advantage. Here's a breakdown of the series:

Date - Location - Result
10/26/93 - Bronx, N.Y. - Hofstra, 3-0
10/26/94 - Hempstead, N.Y. - Hofstra, 6-2
10/18/95 - Bronx, N.Y. - Fordham, 2-1
9/23/99 - Hempstead, N.Y. - Hofstra, 4-2
10/10/00 - Bronx, N.Y. - Tied, 3-3 (2OT)
9/8/01 - Hempstead, N.Y. - Hofstra, 4-1
9/15/02 - Hempstead, N.Y. - Hofstra, 2-1
9/2/03 - Bronx, N.Y. - Hofstra, 1-0 (OT)
9/8/04 - Bronx, N.Y. - Fordham, 2-1
9/14/05 - Hempstead, N.Y. - Hofstra, 7-1
9/15/06 - Bronx, N.Y. - Hofstra, 2-1
9/22/07 - Hempstead, N.Y. - Hofstra, 2-0

Last Time Out:

The loss was the first handed to Fordham this season, falling to 3-1-0, while St. John's improves to 2-2-1.

Fordham controlled the first part of the opening half, highlighted by shots from Katie McDermott and Danielle Ingram in the 7th and 11th minute, respectively, but St. John's goalkeeper Kristin Russell made the stop on both attempts. Fordham's Annie Worden had the next prime opportunity, as off a cross, Worden slid a shot just by the right post in 20th minute.

St. John's followed with their first chance six minutes later on a Nicole Pasciolla shot, which rang off the crossbar and out of harm's way.

The Red Storm then broke the scoreless tie in the 39th minute to take a 1-0 lead. Francisca Okoko hit a long diagonal ball to Runa Stefansdottir for a breakaway down the left side, scoring her first goal of the season, inside the right post.

St. John's just missed making it 2-0 in the 56th minute on Jen Leaverton's shot, but the Red Storm were again denied by the crossbar, keeping it a one-goal game.

The Rams put together the next two opportunities, the first coming in the 62nd minute on an attempt by Mariella Romano, but her shot sailed just high over the bar. Then in the 68th minute, Romano put a corner kick into the box for a header by Kaitlyn Carballeira, but the ball was pushed right of the net.

Fordham had a final opportunity to tie the game in the final minute on a corner kick by Mary Solimine, but the cross was cleared away, as St. John's held on for the 1-0 decision.

For Fordham, Rachel Suther made two saves in the loss, while Russell made two saves in the shutout for St. John's.

Women's Soccer in the NSCAA Regional Rankings (8/31): The Fordham women's soccer team is rated seventh in the latest NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Rankings. Fordham entered the regional rankings seventh on August 24th and remained in that slot in the August 31st edition. Here are the current standings:

Rank - School (Record as of 8/31)
1. William & Mary (2-0-1)
2. Charlotte (2-0-0)
3. James Madison (2-1-0)
Dayton (3-1-0)
5. Northeastern (2-1-0)
6. Harvard (0-0-0)
7. Fordham (3-0-0)
8. Princeton (0-0-0)
9. Hofstra (0-1-0)
10. Navy (2-1-1)

TopDrawerSoccer.com Lists Three Fordham Players Among A-10's Best (9/1): Fordham's Katie McDermott, Annie Worden, and Avilla Bergin are among the top 20 players in the Atlantic 10 Conference, according to TopDrawerSoccer.com. In the website's latest ranking on September 1st, it lists Worden at #4, McDermott at #5, and Bergin at #13.

McDermott has started all four games this season for Fordham, recording an assist in each of the Rams' first three games, which were all Fordham wins. Worden and Bergin have both appeared in the Rams' last two games played and have yet to register a point.

Ancelj Named Atlantic 10 Player of the Week (8/30): Fordham University's senior forward Michelle Ancelj was named Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Player of the Week, it was announced on August 30th. This was Ancelj's first career Atlantic 10 award.

Ancelj led Fordham to a pair of wins for the week ending August 29th, improving the team's record to 3-0-0, and tying the program's best-ever start from 2004. Ancelj opened the week with her second career two-goal game on Tuesday in a 2-0 victory against Maine. It was her second game-winning goal of the season, and moved her into the top ten in career goal scoring at Rose Hill with 15 career goals. She also recorded an assist in Fordham's 2-1 overtime win against Manhattan on Sunday.

Ancelj leads the Rams in scoring through four games with three goals and an assist for seven points, and is tied for the Atlantic 10 lead in goals.