BRONX, N.Y. – The Fordham men's soccer team clinched a berth in the Atlantic 10 Men's Soccer Championship with a decisive 5-1 win over Loyola Chicago on Saturday night at Moglia Stadium.
Head Coach Carlo Acquista honored the Rams' senior class prior to the start of the team's last regular season home game, but it was Fordham's juniors who provided the fireworks. Andre Insalaco logged the most productive match of his collegiate career, scoring two goals and assisting on another. Classmate Bennett Leitner scored once and picked up two assists. Daniel D'Ippolito opened the scoring in the seventh minute, recording his 10th goal of the season and becoming the first Fordham player since Brian Borrhello in 2002 (11) to reach double-digit goals in a single campaign.
Graduate student Lukas Hackaa scored off a free kick early in the second half, notching his third goal in the team's last two Atlantic 10 games.
The Rams recorded seven assists on their five goals, as Thomas Gray, Jed Dixon, Jack Sias, Louis Lehr all picked up one assist apiece.
Fordham (7-4-4, 4-1-2) secured a postseason berth for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons, but where they fall in the final standings will be determined by next Saturday's match at Duquesne to close out the regular season. Duquesne, ranked 23rd in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll, sits second on the table while Fordham checks in at no. 4. The top four teams in the final regular season standings will host a quarterfinal match on either Nov. 8 or Nov. 9.
Carter Abbot allowed no goals in 57 minutes to start the contest before exiting for graduate student Alex Dolce, who played the remainder of the game between the pipes.
The Rams first goal came less than six and a half minutes into the contest, as Gray sent a long ball from his own end for Insalaco, who played headed the ball down the right side of the box for D'Ippolito. The junior captain unleased from distance with his right foot to the far side, catching the keeper off guard and putting the Rams on top early.
Just over 10 minutes later, Insalaco and Leitner orchestrated a clever exchange to make it a two-goal game. The sequence began when a Loyola center back attempted to head a ball out of the zone near the top of his own box, but instead sent it short and high before finding the foot of Insalaco. Insalaco broke toward the top of the box before dumping it off for Leitner in the semicircle. Leitner touched it immediately back to Insalaco, who quickly fired and beat Loyola keeper Aidan Crawford just inside the right post.
The Rams led 2-0 at the intermission before Hackaa added to the lead on the other side of the break. Standing over a free kick 30 yards away from the goal, Hackaa sent a masterful ball inside the left post to make it 3-0 in favor of Fordham.
Less than 10 minutes later, Lehr took possession just inside midfield before touching a ball to Dixon down the left sideline. The senior took two strides before placing a perfect cross to the far-side post, where Leitner was waiting to bury it and put the Rams ahead 4-0.
The Rams scored for the fifth and final time in the 64th minute, as passes from Leitner and Sias set up Insalaco at the top-right corner of the box. The junior turned, fired and sent a ball into the bottom-left corner of the cage.
Loyola ruined the Rams' shutout bid in the 85th minute with a goal from Angel Mendez.
Saturday marked the first time in more than three years that Fordham scored five times in one game, last accomplishing the feat on Oct. 6, 2021, against Davidson.
Fordham will close out the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 2, when it heads to Duquesne to face off against the 23rd ranked Dukes. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
