Women’s Soccer Continues Atlantic 10 Action Against VCU & St. Bonaventure

Bronx, N.Y. - Following a pair of ties in the opening week of Atlantic 10 play, the Fordham women's soccer team returns to the pitch for a pair of contests this week.  It will be the second "Battle of the Rams" on Thursday night, when Fordham hosts VCU at 7:00 PM, while later in the week, the Rams travel to St. Bonaventure for a Sunday matinee.
 
Fordham (5-3-3, 0-0-2 A10) recorded back-to-back 1-1 draws against Rhode Island and Saint Joseph's to start league action.  Brooke Salmon and Clara Gastaldi were the respective goal scorers in each game, with Nicol Natale assisting on both goals.  VCU is 5-5-1 on the season, 1-1 in the Atlantic 10.  Julia Suarez is once again the top scorer for VCU, leading the team in goals (5), assists (3), and points (13).  St. Bonaventure is 3-7-1 entering the week with a 0-2 mark in the conference.  Danielle Vis is the player to watch for the Bonnies, as she has netted four goals and two assists for 10 points.
 
GAME COVERAGE:
Thursday – VCU at Fordham – 7:00 PM – Live Stats | Live Video | Follow on Twitter @FordhamWSoccer
 
Sunday – Fordham at St. Bonaventure – 1:00 PM - Live Stats | Follow on Twitter @FordhamWSoccer
 
SERIES HISTORY: For Fordham and VCU, it will be the sixth edition of the "Battle of the Rams" with VCU holding 4-1 edge in the all-time series.  However, Fordham got the better of VCU in the team's last match-up, defeating VCU, 1-0, at the Atlantic 10 Championship last season on a goal by Brooke Salmon.  Against St. Bonaventure, this will be the 21^st all-time meeting with Fordham leading the series with a 14-5-1.  The Rams won last year's match-up, 2-1, at Jack Coffey Field and have won seven of the last eight matches.
 
RAMS TO HAVE CANCER AWARENESS DAY ON OCTOBER 16^th: The Fordham women's soccer team will have their Cancer Awareness Day on Sunday, October 16^th, in conjunction with the team's game against the Dayton Flyers.  The team will once again wear pink jerseys for breast cancer awareness and purple shoelaces for pancreatic cancer awareness.  In addition to the game bringing awareness, the Rams will be raising funds for the Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care.  Donations in the team's name can be made by going here.  As another part of the fundraising effort, the team will be taking donations in the McGinley Center lobby on October 5^th and 7^th, as well as at the Marketing Tent table on the October 16^th gameday.  All who donate will get to hang a pink or purple paper Ram with their name or name of loved one at the game.

 
LAST TIME OUT (10/2): For the second straight game, the Fordham women's soccer team was fit to be tied, as the Rams played to a 1-1 draw with the Saint Joseph's Hawks on Sunday at Jack Coffey Field.
 
After a scoreless first half, both teams found the back of the net in the second half, just seconds apart.  First, it was Saint Joseph's getting on the board on a set piece in the 64^th minute.  Shannon Mulvey took a corner kick from the right side, kicking the ball high in the air.  The scrum in front of goal went off Meghan DiPippa to Gabrielle Vagnozzi, who knocked in the loose ball for her second goal of the season.
 
Only 65 seconds later, Fordham tied the game at one.  Nicol Natale went on a run up the right side, cutting toward goal.  She crossed the ball in front of goal to Clara Gastaldi, who took a touch, and knocked the ball into the goal from eight yards out for her first of the season.
 
The score remained tied at one, leading the game to go into overtime, where each team had a chance to come away with a win, but neither could convert.  In the 97^th minute, Fordham's Maraget Roughley got sent off on a breakaway, but her stop-and-go move near the top of the box couldn't get her shot past Hawks' goalkeeper Cameron Perrott.
 
On the other end, Saint Joseph's thought they had won the game on a goal in the 104^th minute, but a foul was called on the play, negating the possible winning goal.   The game finished in that 1-1 stalemate, as Perrott made five saves for the Hawks with Fordham goalkeeper Megan Fitzgerald having four saves.
 
WHO'S NEXT: After this week's games, the Fordham women's soccer team continues Atlantic 10 play on Thursday, October 13^th with a road match at Saint Louis, while playing at home against Dayton on Sunday, October 16^th for Cancer Awareness Day.