Kingston, R.I. – (October 8, 2023) – It was a wild second half for the 27
th edition of the "Battle of the Rams" between Fordham and Rhode Island at the URI Soccer Complex in Kingston, Rhode Island. After playing 45 scoreless minutes, the teams combined for four goals in the second half with Fordham's
Fernanda Serna netting the game-tying goal with seven seconds left to leave the match as a 2-2 draw.
The draw keeps both Fordham and Rhode Island tied in the Atlantic 10 standings at 2-1-3.
Fordham opened the scoring in the 50
th minute for a 1-0 lead.
Lena Johnsen placed a corner kick into the box, finding
Emily Crocco for the header goal into the left side of the goal. It was Crocco's first goal of the season.
URI answered with two goals in a span of 1:23 on the clock to grab a 2-1 edge. In the 67
th minute, Courtney Poon found Sam Hagerty for a shot from distance that picked the upper left corner just out of the reach of Fordham goalkeeper
Serena Mensah to tie the game.
Only 83 seconds later, Cristina Sallent was fouled in the box by
Ella Guth, awarding a penalty kick to Rhode Island. Jordyn Allen converted on the penalty kick to give URI the lead.
It looked like Fordham would tie the game on a penalty kick of its own in the 76
th minute, but Rhode Island goalkeeper Faith Hutchins stopped
Caroline Monahan's attempt to keep the score at 2-1.
Fordham kept on pressing forward for the equalizer and got the break they needed in the final seconds. On a final minute corner, the ball bounced around to
Marie Degroote near the top of the box. She played the ball to the middle, deflecting off a URI defender.
Fernanda Serna got to the loose ball, fended off a defender, and slotted a quick shot into the left side of the net past Hutchins for the game-tying marker with only seven seconds left on the clock. It was Serna's first career goal.
In net, Mensah finished with four saves for Fordham, while Hutchins had five for URI.
Fordham will next be in action on Thursday, October 12
th, when the Rams travel to La Salle for a 7:00 PM match.