Bronx, N.Y. – (August 21, 2024) – Following the team's first season opening win since 2017, the Fordham women's soccer team continues its first homestand this week with two more home matches against Drexel and UAlbany at Moglia Stadium.
The Rams (1-0) defeated Manahattan, 2-1, last Thursday behind goals from
Julia Acosta and
Lena Johnsen. Fordham seeks its first 2-0 start since 2010 in its next contest against Drexel. The Dragons (0-1) lost their opener, 2-1, at Saint Joseph's. Elise Duffy scored for Drexel with Sammy Widnick making two saves.
On Sunday, Fordham welcomes the Great Danes (1-0) to the Bronx for the first time since 2000. UAlbany won their opener by a 3-1 score over LIU and will host Monmouth on Thursday for their second contest. The Great Danes received goals from Sydney Kofton, Hailey Hnis, and Casey Stowell in their opener, while getting two saves from Emily Dorfman.
SERIES HISTORY: The Rams and Dragons have only met once, which came in last year's opening match. Drexel won the contest by a 3-0 score in Philadelphia, getting goals from Meg Tate, Liv Brocious, and Isabel Kuzy with Elise Duffy adding two assists.
For Sunday, Fordham and UAlbany will meet for the third time ever with the previous matches in 2000 and 2023. Last year, the Great Danes grabbed a 1-0 victory on a goal by Devon Schmitt. In 2000, Fordham earned a 2-0 win on Edwards' Parade behind goals by Beth Genalo and Emily Parella.
LAST TIME OUT (8/15): Fordham's
Julia Acosta and
Lena Johnsen each netted goals in the opening 20 minutes of action as the Rams picked up a season-opening 2-1 win over the Manhattan Jaspers on Thursday night at Moglia Stadium. It was Fordham's first season-opening win since 2017.
Fordham wasted no time in netting the first goal of the game in the opening minute.
Liina Tervo took the initial shot just 35 seconds into the contest, hitting the left post.
Julia Acosta quickly knocked in the rebound from six yards out for her first collegiate goal.
The Rams made it 2-0 in the 20
th minute off a set piece.
Fernanda Serna took the free kick from just outside the box, finding
Lena Johnsen for the deflection goal from eight yards out.
It was almost a 3-0 lead later in the first half, as
Abby Borchers found the back of the net on a header, but she was ruled offside, disallowing the goal.
Fordham was able to hold Manhattan off the scoreboard until the 89
th minute, when Julia Nicholas' corner kick found its way into the net for the 2-1 final score.
In net,
Addison Green earned her first win for the Rams, making three saves, while Manhattan's Margaret Brunk had four saves in the loss.
2024 TEAM CAPTAINS: Fordham women's soccer has selected senior
Abby Doyle and junior
Ella Guth as the team captains for the upcoming year.
Doyle will serve as a team captain for the second straight season, sliding into the Rams' backline. A two-year starter, she played in 14 contests in 2023, making 11 starts and scoring two goals. She also contributed to four of the Rams' five shutouts on the year and was selected to the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll for the second consecutive year.
Guth, a junior defender, has been a staple in the Rams' starting backline over her first two seasons, helping Fordham record five shutouts in that time. Thus far, she has started 27 of the 29 games she has appeared in and been a two-time Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll honoree. Additionally, Guth earned CSC Academic All-District honors following last season.
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS: Fordham had multiple players have an immediate impact in their inaugural match as a Ram. In the opener against Manhattan,
Julia Acosta scored her first collegiate goal as a Ram just 40 seconds into the contest, becoming one of three freshmen nationally to score in the opening minute of action of their first game (Katie Shea Collins – South Carolina – 34 seconds; Clara Samson – UC Irvine – 47 seconds), while
Liina Tervo recorded her first career assist on that marker.
Lindsay Probst played 78 minutes at defender in her first start and match with Fordham with
Addison Green making three saves in goal for her first collegiate win.
THAT WAS FAST: With Fordham scoring just 40 seconds into its first match of the season, that goal was the second fastest marker score in an opening contest this season. The only marker that was quicker came from South Carolina's Katie Shea Collins, who netted her first of three goals against Furman in only 34 seconds.
PRESEASON POLL: The Atlantic 10 Conference released its preseason coaches' poll, where Fordham was predicted to finish tenth. The Rams look to crack the top eight and secure a spot in the Atlantic 10 Championship for the first time since 2019.
RARE AIR: Across all of college soccer, the international flavor continues to make its mark, and having an international coaching staff is also becoming a trend with Fordham at the forefront. Three of the Rams' coaches,
Magnus Nilerud (Sweden), Jonny Macadam (Scotland), and
David Flower (UK) all got their start overseas. Fordham is one of seven schools to have at least three international coaches on staff, joining Arizona State (four), Vanderbilt, Indiana, Purdue, Louisiana Monroe, and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
WHO'S NEXT: After three straight home matches to open the season, the Rams now hit the road for the next five games. The road trip begins on Staten Island with a match against Wagner on August 29
th, followed by a September 1
st match at Fairfield.
