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Twitter Updates @FordhamWSoccer Following a shutout and a penalty kick shootout, the Fordham women's soccer team is back in the Atlantic 10 Championship game for the third time in team history, and first since 2007, as take on the Duquesne Dukes in a nationally televised contest on the American Sports Network.
In the first two, Fordham was unable to claim the title, falling to host Saint Louis in 2006 (2-1), and host Charlotte in 2007 (3-2). This time, it will be a true neutral site title game, as the Rams take on the seventh-seeded Duquesne Dukes (11-9-1) at Davidson's Alumni Soccer Stadium. For either squad, an Atlantic 10 crown would be the first for the program, as this is Duquesne's first women's soccer title game.
To watch Sunday's championship on ASN, be sure to check your local listings. In New York, SportsNet NY (SNY) will carry the game. Outside of New York,
click here to see if the game is available in your local area.
HOW'D WE GET HERE: The Championship for Fordham began with the "Battle of the Rams" against VCU in the #4 vs. #5 match-up. Freshman
Brooke Salmon netted her first collegiate goal in the 15th minute, while the Fordham defense allowed just two shots on goal for the 1-0 win in the Atlantic 10 quarterfinals.
Kristina Maksuti In the semifinals, Fordham and George Mason were fit to be tied after 110 minutes of action, as after falling behind 1-0 in the first half,
Jessica Widmann scored in the 59th minute to knot the game at one. The game went into a penalty kick shootout, where Fordham got two saves from
Megan Fitzgerald and went 4-for-4 on penalty kicks from
Ally Doyle,
Nicole Bates,
Brianna Blunck, and
Widmann to take the shootout, 4-2.
Duquesne was the opposite, as the Dukes advanced out of the quarterfinal round on a penalty kick shootout over the Dayton Flyers, while defeating La Salle, 2-1, in the semifinals.
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the 18
th all-time meeting between the Rams and Dukes with Fordham holding a 9-5-3 edge in the series, which includes an Atlantic 10 Tournament win in 2008. The two teams have not faced each other since a 1-0 win by Fordham in the 2013 regular season finale at Jack Coffey Field. Fordham goalkeeper
Megan Fitzgerald, who was a freshman at the time, earned her first career shutout in that game, making two saves, while Kaitlyn Carballeira netted the lone goal for the Rams.
