Kingston, R.I. – (November 4, 2018) – For the fifth consecutive season, the Fordham men's soccer team has qualified for the Atlantic 10 Championship, which begins on Sunday.  The Rams have had success during this run, capturing two league titles and making two semifinal appearances.
 
Fordham (8-4-4, 4-3-1) is seeded fifth and will have its work cut for them, as the team faces #4 seed Rhode Island (12-4-0, 5-3-0), who is having one of their best seasons to date.  Similar to Fordham, Rhode Island has garnered national attention, receiving votes for the top 25 poll for a good portion of the season.
 
GAME COVERAGE:
Fordham at Rhode Island – 1:00 PM – Live Stats | Follow on Twitter @FordhamSoccer
 
SERIES HISTORY: For Fordham and Rhode Island, it will be the 26^th "Battle of the Rams" on Sunday.  Rhode Island hold the series lead at 14-9-2, but it is Fordham that has won the last five meetings, which included a 4-2 win at Jack Coffey Field earlier this season on September 29^th.
 
FORDHAM IN THE ATLANTIC 10 CHAMPIONSHIP: This is Fordham's fifth consecutive trip to the Atlantic 10 Championship, and 11^th appearance overall.  The Rams are 7-7-2 in the championship, having at least made the semifinal the last four seasons.  Fordham, who was picked as the preseason favorite, is looking for their third Atlantic 10 Championship in the last five seasons and fourth overall, having won the title in 1996, 2014, and 2016.  In a twist, Fordham defeated Rhode Island at some point in all three championship runs.
 
MOVIN' UP: As the season rolls on, Fordham seniors Janos Loebe and Rashid Nuhu continue their upward climb in the all-time Fordham record book.  With two goals and an assist at La Salle, Loebe is tied for sixth in career goals with 26, while his 83 points are now fourth on the career points list, passing Brian Borrhello (82 – 1999-2002) and Ifeatu Oute (78 - 1970-72).  He is also second in career assists with 31, trailing only John Wolyniec (34 – 1995-98) and ranks fourth in games played (78), and tied for third in games started (77).
 
For Nuhu, he picked up his 30^th career shutout last week, which puts him second on the Rams' all-time list.  Against Dayton, he set the career minutes played record at Fordham at 6,851 minutes, passing Ryan Meara (2008-11 - 6,849).  He is also second in appearances (73), and second in career goals against average (0.92).
 
EARLIER MEETING WITH RHODE ISLAND (9/29):   In a primetime match-up of two of the favorites to win the Atlantic 10 men's soccer championship, the 25^th-ranked Fordham Rams and Rhode Island Rams, who were receiving votes for the top 25, both showed why they are two of the top teams in the country on Saturday night.  In the end, Fordham came away with a 4-2 victory over URI at Jack Coffey Field behind two goals from Sameer Fathazada and a career-best five-point night by Janos Loebe.
 
The fireworks started in the ninth minute, as a foul awarded a free kick to Fordham about 23 yards away.  Janos Loebe took the shot, which was stopped by URI goalkeeper Roger Penske, but the rebound could not be controlled and was put home by Sameer Fathazada for his second goal of the season.
 
Rhode Island then tied the game at one in the 16^th minute, as Stavros Zarokostas headed in a corner kick by Dominik Richter for his fourth goal of the year.

 
Fordham regained the lead right before halftime in the 43^rd minute. Just after Loebe was stopped by Penske a minute earlier, Janos got another chance off a through ball by Andron Kagramanyan.  This time, Loebe was able to tuck the shot in the right side of the net for his third of the year and a 2-1 lead.
 
URI came right back at the start of the second half, scoring in the 47^th minute to knot the game at two.  This time, Richter took the pass from Peder Kristiansen, and was able to rifle a shot into the top left corner of the goal from 30 yards for his third marker of the season.
 
As the teams continued the back and forth affair, Fordham went back ahead, 3-2, in the 67^th minute on the rush.  Bart Dziedzic played the ball ahead to Loebe on the left side of the box.  Loebe then backheeled the ball to Fathazada who one-timed it into the right side of the net for his second goal of the evening.
 
Fordham then clinched the victory in the 82^nd minute, netting an insurance goal, when Joergen Oland headed home a corner kick from Loebe for his fourth tally of the year.
 
For Loebe, he finished with a career-high three assists and a five-point night, which was also a career-best.  In net, Fordham's Rashid Nuhu made a season-high seven stops with Oland also adding a defender save in the game.  Penske had three saves for URI.
 
WHO'S NEXT: The winner of today's match meets the winner of VCU-UMass  and moves on to the Atlantic 10 semifinals, which will take place on Friday, November 9^th, at Hermann Stadium in St. Louis, Mo.