Bronx, N.Y. – The Fordham women's basketball team saw its seven-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday night during a 47-44 loss to VCU. With the result, the Rams fall to 12-6 overall and 3-1 in Atlantic 10 play, while the visiting Rams improve to 12-5 and 4-0, respectively.
"Tonight was a tough loss against a tough team," Head coach
Stephanie Gaitley said, "We have to learn from it and get better. My philosophy is 'suffer or celebrate until midnight' and we need to do that as we have a tough game at Dayton on Sunday."
Fordham used a 17-9 second-quarter outburst to lead by 13 at the half but VCU rallied within the second half, outscoring the hosts, 30-14, to secure the three-point victory. The Rams committed 13 turnovers on the night, their most in nearly a month, and shot just 22.7% from long range, their lowest mark in the same timeframe.
The opening period was defensive, as expected, with a 6-4 score at the media timeout. Fordham used a 7-2 run to finish out the frame over the final five minutes, however, and kept it going by opening the second quarter with nine unanswered points. The hosts' lead grew as large as 17, 28-11, with four minutes to go in the half but VCU was able to close out on a 6-2 run.
Mary Goulding picked up her third and fourth fouls within 30 seconds midway through the third period and the team leading by 10, 39-29. With her and
Kendell Heremaia, who had three fouls, sitting, VCU made a run to tie the game in the final seconds of the period, capping an 11-1 run.
Bre Cavanaugh gave the Rams two two-point leads early in the fourth but VCU was able to respond on its next possessions. Olga Petrova's jumper knotted the game up at 44-44 and Danielle Hammond's layup with 3:24 to play proved to be the game winner, as Fordham was held scoreless over the game's final six minutes.
Fordham was led offensive by 12 points apiece from Cavanaugh and Goulding. The former hit 5-of-17 attempts but led the squad with nine rebounds, while the latter chipped in six boards and a steal.
Lauren Holden scored 11 points and matched her season-high of six assists, adding four rebounds, as well. Heremaia chipped in five points, eight boards, and an assist.
Megan Jonassen came off the bench for a pair of steals in 12 minutes.
The Rams shot 11-of-21 from the floor in the first half but just 6-of-24 in the second half, finishing at 37.8% for the game to VCU's 39.1%. The hosts held the visitors to just 22.2% shooting from the perimeter but hit 5-of-22 shots themselves, adding 5-of-6 makes from the charity stripe. Fordham won the battle of the glass, 35-25, including a 7-4 margin on the offensive end.
Fordham heads on the road for a pair of road contests over the next seven days, first at Dayton this Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m., a third straight weekend contest to be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
