Women’s Soccer Continues A-10 Play With UMass & St. Bonaventure This Week

Bronx, N.Y. – (October 3, 2018) – The Fordham women's soccer team continues to be one of the hottest teams in the Atlantic 10, having won its last six matches and seven out of the last eight, which includes a 4-0 start to conference play.  The Rams will look to extend those streaks on Thursday in a battle for first place with UMass, while traveling to St. Bonaventure for their second match of the week.
 
Fordham (7-5, 4-0) made it a perfect 4-0 start to conference play with wins over Davidson and Rhode Island last week, while UMass is also 4-0 in the league with a 9-2 overall mark.  The Minutewomen are averaging almost three goals a contest, while giving up less than half a goal per game.  They are led by the trio of Lauren Bonavita, Rebecca Frisk, and Jenny Hipp, who all have 15 points this season.
 
On Sunday, the Rams travel to St. Bonaventure to face the Bonnies, who are 0-9-4 on the season, 0-4 in the Atlantic 10.  The Bonnies are led by Sydney Cerza, who has a team-high four goals and 10 points
 
GAME COVERAGE:
Thursday – Massachusetts at Fordham – 7:00 PM ET – Live Video (ESPN+) | Live Video (International) | Live Stats | Follow on Twitter @FordhamWSoccer
 
Sunday – Fordham at St. Bonaventure – 1:00 PM ET – Live Video (ESPN+) | Live Video (International) | Live Stats | Follow on Twitter @FordhamWSoccer
 
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the 20^th all-time meeting on Thursday between the Rams and the Minutewomen with UMass holding a 13-6 edge.  Fordham has gotten the better of UMass the last two season, winning a 3-2  double overtime contest in 2016 and a 3-2 game last season.  In last year's game, Clara Gastaldi, Lane Cronin, and Amanda Miller each scored in the win.
 
On Sunday, it will be the 23^rd match-up with Fordham and St. Bonaventure.  Fordham holds the lead in the series at 15-5-2, and are 8-1-1 in the last ten meetings with the Bonnies.  Last season, the two teams played to a scoreless draw at Jack Coffey Field.
 
LaMORTE NAMED A-10 CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (10/1): The Atlantic 10 Conference announced its weekly women's soccer award winners on Monday with Fordham junior goalkeeper Kelly LaMorte being named Co-Defensive Player of the Week.  She shares the award with Audrey Sanderson of VCU.  This is the first weekly award for the Rams this season, and the first career award for LaMorte.
 
LaMorte had another solid week in goal for the Rams, helping the team extend its win streak to six matches, tying the school record set in 2014, while also improving to 4-0 in conference play for the first-time ever.

She allowed just one goal over two matches with six total saves and a shutout.  LaMorte saw her school record shutout streak end at 416 minutes against Davidson on Thursday, but still managed to record four saves in the win.  She then started a new shutout streak, adding her sixth shutout of the season at Rhode Island on Sunday.  In addition to the team record, LaMorte is the first women's soccer goalkeeper to record a win in six straights starts, and is tied for 15^th in the NCAA in shutouts this season.

 
LAST TIME OUT: With a chance at going 4-0 to start conference play and make some school history, the Fordham women's soccer team did not let the opportunity slip away at Rhode Island on Sunday.  Lane Cronin scored for the second consecutive game, while Kelly LaMorte made two saves in goal, as Fordham earned a 1-0 win over Rhode Island at the URI Soccer Complex.
 
With the win, Fordham improved to 7-5-0 overall, while moving to 4-0 in Atlantic 10 play for the first time in team history.  The win was also the Rams sixth straight win, tying the school mark set in 2014.
 
Fordham had the advantage in each of the major stat category against Rhode Island, and finally broke a scoreless draw in the 81^st minute.  Juliana Mascelli got the ball near the corner flag and put a long cross to the left side of the box.  Lane Cronin headed the ball down and bounced over the goalkeeper and into the net for her second goal in as many games.

The Fordham defense did the rest, limiting Rhode Island to eight shots overall, but only two were on frame.  Both of those came in the final six minutes after Fordham went ahead.  Fordham goalkeeper Kelly LaMorte made both stops to earn her sixth shutout of the season. 

WHO'S NEXT: Following these two matches, the Rams are back on the road at Saint Louis on Thursday, October 11^th at 8:00 PM ET, followed by a home match with La Salle on October 14^th, beginning at 1:00 PM.