Bronx, N.Y. – (August 25, 2021) – After a pair of tough matches on the opening weekend of the season, the Fordham Rams look to bounce back this week with two local women's soccer matches against Manhattan and Fairleigh Dickinson.
The Rams lost their first two contests of 2021 on the road last week falling to Colgate (1-0) and Binghamton (2-0). Fordham concludes its opening three-game road trip on Thursday, when the team meets Manhattan in the Battle of the Bronx. This will be Manhattan's opening match of the season after posting a 3-3-0 mark last spring, all of which were against MAAC opponents.
Sunday will be the Rams' home opener when the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights visit Jack Coffey Field. The Knights enter this week's action at 0-2 on the season, falling to #25 Rutgers and Syracuse in week one. FDU will be in an Atlantic 10 state of mind this week, as before meeting the Rams on Sunday, they will face Saint Joseph's on Thursday.
GAME COVERAGE:
Thursday – Fordham at Manhattan – 7:00 PM –
Live Stats
Sunday – Fairleigh Dickinson at Fordham – 12:00 PM –
Live Video (ESPN+) |
Live Stats
SOCIAL MEDIA: Make sure to follow the Fordham Rams all season long on their social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram - @FordhamWoSoc
SERIES HISTORY: Thursday will see the 28
th edition of the Battle of the Bronx between Fordham and Manhattan with the Rams holding an 18-8-1 edge in the all-time series. The Rams have won the last six meetings from 2014 to 2019, which includes three at Gaelic Park. Last year was the first time the two teams did not play.
For the Rams and the Knights, this will only be the second-ever meeting. The only previous match-up came in 2003 in the ECAC Women's Soccer Championship, where the Knights took a 3-2 decision in overtime on Edwards' Parade.
HOME OPENERS: In home openers, Fordham has a 14-10-4 mark all-time with an 8-5-3 record at Jack Coffey Field, while being 6-5-1 on Edwards' Parade. Last year's home opener ended in a scoreless draw with the Sacred Heart Pioneers.
TEAM CAPTAINS: The Rams have selected their team captains for the 2021 season, as
Hope Baisley,
Kendall Dandridge, &
Emma Johnson will wear the captain's armbands for the upcoming season. Baisley and Johnson served as co-captains for last year's squad, while this will be the first time for Dandridge.
Marissa Krenn
Baisley and Johnson, who both start their fifth year with the team in 2021, were vital cogs of the Fordham defense, which posted four shutouts in eight games and set a school record with a 0.70 goals against average. Each received multiple postseason awards with both being named CoSIDA Academic All-District. Additionally, Baisley was named the team's Most Valuable Player at the Block F Awards, while Johnson was named the team's Most Valuable Defensive Player. Through four years, Baisley has appeared 44 games, making 35 starts, while Johnson has played in 45 games, starting 44.
Dandridge, who enters her fourth season at Rose Hill, shifted positions this past spring to an attacking wing, after being a two-year starting defender. She was rewarded by netting the first goal and points of her career, scoring the game-winning goal at La Salle, while adding a pair of assists. Dandridge was also awarded the Ignatian Social Justice/DEI Award as a part of the annual Block F Awards, recognizing those who went above and beyond in doing the difficult work of bringing diversity, equity, and inclusion issue to the forefront in the Athletic Department. As a Ram, Dandridge has started all 47 games over the last three seasons for the Rams.
FOREIGN IMPORTS: The Rams have spread their recruiting across the globe with five internationals on the team in 2021, representing the United Kingdom (
Emma Johnson), Ireland (
Maria O'Sullivan), Canada (
Claudia Cuicani), Israel (
Tal Faingezicht), and Sweden (
Ellen Schedin). Fordham also has international experience with
Danielle Etienne, who has seen time with the Haitian National Team.
WHO'S NEXT: The Rams are back on the road next week for two matches, as the squad travels to Marist on September 2
nd and Army West Point on September 5
th.
