Bronx, N.Y. – (October 22, 2019) – It's a big week in the Atlantic 10 with most teams playing a pair of conference match-ups as the battle for playoff positioning begins. The Fordham Rams will be one of those teams with two matches, as they travel to VCU on Wednesday, while hosting George Mason on Saturday for Senior Day.
After a tough loss to Saint Joseph's, the Rams (4-9-1, 3-2 A-10) sit at nine points in the Atlantic 10 standings, which is tied for fourth with Duquesne, Dayton, and George Mason. VCU (5-6-1, 4-1 A-10) enters Wednesday's contest with 12 points, just ahead of the Rams in third position, having lost its last match at Rhode Island by a 2-1 count on Saturday. On the pitch, Biska Biyombo is VCU's top scorer with four goals and three assists on the year, while Mario Sequeira has played every minute in net for VCU, posting a 1.35 GAA and two shutouts.
On Saturday night, George Mason (4-9-1, 3-2 A-10) comes to the Bronx in a vital match-up for both teams. The Patriots are coming off a loss at St. Bonaventure and will host La Salle on Wednesday in their first conference match of the week. Offensively, George Mason's Tunde Akinlosotu is the top scorer with three goals and five assists on the year. In net, the Patriots have had three different goalkeeper split time with Brison Moorhead getting the most action with eight games played and a 1.62 GAA.
Prior to the George Mason game, the Rams will honor seven student-athletes playing in their final home game -
Bart Dziedzic,
Joergen Oland,
Johannes Pieles,
Nicholas Meyer,
Konstantin Weis,
Filippo Ricupati, and
Tomer Zloczower.
Joergen Oland
GAME COVERAGE:
Thursday – Fordham at VCU – 7:00 PM ET -
Live Video (ESPN+) |
Live Stats |
Follow on Twitter @FordhamSoccer
Saturday – George Mason at Fordham – 7:00 PM ET –
Live Video (ESPN+) |
International Stream |
Live Stats |
Follow on Twitter @FordhamSoccer
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the eighth meeting between Fordham and VCU with VCU holding a 4-0-3 mark. However, two of those draws came in the Atlantic 10 Championship, where Fordham advanced past VCU on penalty kicks in both 2014 and 2016. The 2016 match was for the Atlantic 10 Championship crown, which Fordham took 3-2 behind three saves from
Rashid Nuhu.
For George Mason, this is only the fifth-ever meeting with the Patriots holding a 3-0-1 mark over Fordham. The last match-up came in 2017, which was a 1-1 draw in 2017.
CLIMBING THE RANKS: Senior defender
Joergen Oland is on the verge of cracking the top ten in both games played and games started at Fordham. He has started all 73 games he has appeared in netting 15 goals and two assists for 32 points in his career. He is one game started shy of
Rashid Nuhu (73) for tenth place on Fordham's all-time list and two games played shy of cracking that top ten list.
WHO'S NEXT: Following this week's games, the Rams have two games left in the regular season. Fordham travels to Columbia for a non-league match on Tuesday, October 29
th, and then heads out to Saint Louis on Saturday, November 2
nd for its final Atlantic 10 match.
