Following a dominant performance on Friday, everything got thrown at the Fordham women's soccer team on Sunday from rain to two lightning delays to a potent Charleston Cougar team. The Rams persevered all of it to record a 1-0 win over the College of Charleston to finish with a 2-0 record at the Charleston Cup in South Carolina.
With the win, Fordham improved to 4-2-0, while the Cougars fells to 3-2-0.
Charleston tested Fordham goalkeeper
Adaeze Obinelo early and often, as the freshman made her first career start. Obinelo made two saves over the first ten minutes of action, but play was then halted for a lightning delay.
After a 30-minute delay, action resume with Obinelo making another good stop on a free kick from 20 yards off the boot of Sarah Blakely in the 15
th minute.
The game remained scoreless until the 51
st minute when Fordham struck on a set piece. After a foul,
Nicole Bates took a free kick from the right wing into the box that
Kristina Maksuti headed into the middle of the goal for her second goal of the season.
Nicole Bates drew the lone assist on Fordham's
game-winning goal. The Cougars pressured Fordham in an attempt to tie the game, but once again Obinelo came up with another big stop in the 70
th minute, as she punched a Jessica Schifer shot up over the crossbar.
The game would be stopped a second time for a lightning delay in the 79
th minute, but that could not deter the Rams, as they held on for the 1-0 win and finish the Charleston Cup with two victories.
Obinelo earned her first career win and shutout, making six saves in the Fordham goal, while for Maksuti, it marked her eighth career game-winning goal.
The Fordham women's soccer team will next be in action on Sunday, September 13
th, when the Rams host LIU-Brooklyn at Jack Coffey Field, beginning at 1:00 PM.
