Sept. 2, 2011

Bronx, N.Y. - The Fordham women's soccer team has its home opener on Friday night, when the Rams take on the Cornell Big Red at 7:00 PM at Jack Coffey Field. Three games into the season, Fordham has played a pair of double overtime contests and is searching for its first win of the season.

LIVE COVERAGE: Links to Live Video and GameTracker.

SERIES HISTORY: This is the first ever meeting between Fordham and Cornell, and the first of two Ivy League match-ups for the Rams, as they will also meet Columbia later this season.

LAST TIME OUT: Despite a game effort by Fordham and never letting up on the attack Monday night, the Rams could not overcome a second half hat trick by Rutgers forward Jonelle Filigno, giving the Scarlet Knights a 4-1 victory at Yurcak Field in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Rutgers got on the board early in the first half capitalizing on a rebound in front of the net. Fordham goalkeeper Rachel Suther was able to make a diving stop on a Stefanie Scholz shot from the left side, but the rebound went right to Rutgers' Cassie Inacio for the rebound goal.

Rutgers just missed making it 2-0 in the 19th minute as Maura McLaughlin got in alone on Suther, but Suther was up to the challenge, making the one-on-one save. The score remained 1-0 into the second half, when in the 48th minute, the Rams got an unlucky bounce off a clearing attempt, as it deflected off Rutgers' Jonelle Filigno, and rolled into the net, just inside the left post for the Scarlet Knights' second goal of the game.

The Rams though rallied right back just two minutes later, as freshman Kristina Maksuti sent a through pass to fellow freshman Megan Poiesz, who chipped the ball past an oncoming Rutgers' goalkeeper to put the score a 2-1.

Fordham continued to put the pressure on Rutgers with its upfront speed, as Poiesz once again got in on goal in the 65th minute, but was denied this time by Emmy Simpkins. Katherine Wah also had a scoring chance in the 70th minute to tie the game, but again Simpkins came up with the stop.

With Fordham seeking the equalizer, the Scarlet Knights put the game out of reach with two goals in a six-minute span by Filigno late in the period. Her second goal came off a rebound, where Suther made the initial save on Amy Pietrangelo, and Filigno flipped the rebound over Suther for the goal.

Filigno then completed her hat trick in the 79th minute, driving down the right side and chipping the ball into the top left corner of the net. For Fordham, Suther made a season-high seven saves in net, while Simpkins had four saves for the Scarlet Knights.

TEAM CAPTAINS: Seniors Michaela Murphy and Mariella Romano have been voted as the team captains by the coaches and players for the 2011 season.

EARLY IMPACT: Just three games into her Fordham career, freshman Kristina Maksuti has proven herself to be a player that opposing team's always have to keep an eye on. She leads the team with 11 shots, five points, and two goals, both of which came at Seton Hall. She is the first Fordham freshman to record a multi-goal game in her first career game.

Since 1999, Fordham has had six freshmen score in their first career goal in their first career game. The last was Katie Sanchez in 2005 against Iona. Other freshmen to score in their first game were Corey Dunfey, Lena Daragjati, and Katie Noon in 2002 against St. Peter's, and Beth Kitson and Erin Safarik in 1999 against St. John's.

Fellow freshmen Maria Lorena Canicatti and Megan Poiesz have also found the scoring column this season with Canicatti scoring an assist at Seton Hall, while Poiesz netted her first career goal at Rutgers.