Women’s Soccer Kicks Off 2016 Season in Chicago

The first official games of the 2016-17 Fordham Athletics calendar take place this weekend, as the Fordham women's soccer team takes to the pitch for their first two games of the regular season.  The Rams are in the Windy City of Chicago to face DePaul on Friday in the 2016 opener, followed by a Sunday match-up with Loyola-Chicago.
 
GAME COVERAGE:
Friday – Fordham at DePaul – 4:00 PM ET (3:00 PM CT) | Live Stats | Live Video (PPV) | Follow on Twitter @FordhamWSoccer
Sunday – Fordham at Loyola-Chicago – 2:00 PM ET (1:00 PM CT) | Live Stats | Follow on Twitter @FordhamWSoccer
 
SCOUTING CORNER: Fordham enters 2016 after an incredible run last season, which saw the Rams reach the Atlantic 10 Championship title game for the third time in team history.  Fordham recorded 13 wins overall, second-most in program history, while setting team records for shutouts in a season (11) and goals against average (0.81).
 
DePaul was picked second in the preseason BIG EAST poll, after going 12-4-4 a year ago. The Blue Demons had a trio of Preseason All-BIG EAST Team selections, including Alexa Ben, the 2014 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year and a 2015 First Team All-BIG EAST player, Franny Cerny, the 2015 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, and Abby Reed.
 
Loyola was picked to finish second in the preseason Missouri Valley Conference poll, after a 9-7-5 season.  Like DePaul, the Ramblers also had three players named to the preseason MVC All-Conference team, including Shelby Koch, Taylor Lambouris, and Jenna Szczesny, the 2015 MVC Freshman of the Year.
 
SEASON OPENERS: In season opening matches, Fordham has had a mixed bag of results, posting a 10-12-1 mark.  The Rams won their season opener last season over Wagner, 1-0, marking the first time since 2010 that Fordham started the season with a victory.
 
PRESEASON POLL & AWARDS: With the regular season starting this weekend, the Atlantic 10 Conference announced its women's soccer preseason poll and All-Conference team on Wednesday.   Fordham, which made the Atlantic 10 Championship final a year ago, was picked to finish seventh, behind Dayton, George Washington, VCU, La Salle, Saint Joseph's, and Duquesne.  George Mason (8^th), Massachusetts (9^th), Saint Louis (10^th), Richmond (11^th), Rhode Island (12^th), Davidson (13^th), and St. Bonaventure (14^th) rounded out the poll.
  
In addition to being picked seventh, the Rams also had two players make the preseason All-Conference team, as seniors Nicole Bates and Ally Doyle were two of five defenders named to the team, after earning Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors a year ago.
 
O CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN: Seniors Turner Block, Nicole Bates, and Ally Doyle will serve as the team captains for the 2016 season.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Following an hour delay due to a heavy thunderstorm, Fordham's Lane Cronin and Clara Gastaldi scored 21 seconds apart in the second half, giving the Fordham women's soccer team a 3-2 exhibition win over the Albany Great Danes at Jack Coffey Field in the Bronx.

Each team scored once in the first half, beginning in the 37th minute, when Fordham got on the board.  Nicol Natale took the initial shot from near the top of the box, which was stopped by Albany goalkeeper Alana Olivieri.  The rebound would go to freshman Amanda Miller, who netted the opening goal of the game for the Rams.

Just four minutes later, Albany knotted the game at one on a shot by Meghan Cavanaugh, as she rifled a shot from 25 yards out to the upper right corner.

The Great Danes then grabbed the lead early in the second half, when Alexa Schneider scored from eight yards out, slipping a shot inside the right post in the 48th minute.  Fordham rallied back to tie the game at two in the 68th minute, when Brianna Blunck's cross one-hopped to Lane Cronin, who knock the ball into the Albany net.

It then took only 21 seconds for the Rams to regain the lead at 3-2.  This time, Brooke Salmon set up Clara Gastaldi for a blast from 20 yards out, which found the lower left corner of the goal.

The Rams held tough over the final 23 minutes to hold on for the win.

WHO'S NEXT: Following this weekend's action, Fordham stays on the road for its next game, where the Rams travel to Princeton on August 26^th, for a 7:00 PM game.