Bronx, N.Y. – (October 20, 2022) – The Fordham women's soccer team gave the Dayton Flyers all they could handle on Thursday night at Jack Coffey Field, with the Rams taking a 2-1 lead in the second half. However, Dayton scored in the 54
th and 81
st minute to outlast the Rams by a 3-2 score.
Dayton opened the scoring in the 11
th minute, as Natalie Hegg launched a long ball to Itala Gemelli. Gemelli, Dayton's leading goal scorer, then worked around two Fordham defenders and scored her 10
th goal of the season.
Fordham picked up the tying goal in the 41
st minute, as
Abby Doyle intercepted a Dayton clearance in the midfield. Her pass ahead found
Caitlin Kennedy, who drilled a shot into the top left corner from 25 yard out for her second marker of the year.
Then in the second half, the Rams took a 2-1 lead in the 51
st minute.
Tristan McFarlane hit a cross from the right side to the penalty spot.
Sidney Nicholas was right there to put the ball into the left side of the net for her first career goal.
The lead did not last long, as Gemelli netted her second goal of the game and 11
th of the season in the 54
th minute. She took a cross from the left side from Laney Huber in the center of the box and finished high from 12 yards.
The score remained tied at two until the 81
st minute, where the Flyers picked up the go-ahead tally on a set piece for the 3-2 final. Alicia Donley headed in Hegg's corner kick for her second goal of the season.
In net, Batoul Reda made four saves for Dayton, while
Kyla King registered three saves for Fordham.
Fordham will wrap up the regular season on Sunday, as the Rams remain tied for the final Atlantic 10 playoff spot with La Salle and Loyola Chicago with 10 points, while Rhode Island and Richmond each have nine points.
The Rams head to UMass on Sunday for a 1:00 PM start.
