Tess O’Connell and the Rams returned to the URI Soccer Complex in a rain-soaked encounter against Umass. Photo by Drew Adames via gorhody.com.
The University of Rhode Island Women’s Soccer team struggled to put goals in the net this week, losing by one goal margins to both the University of Massachusetts and Fordham University.
Wednesday’s game against the Fordham Rams ended in regulation but had the same result. Rhody only had two shots on goal, but neither ball found its way past Fordham’s freshman goalkeeper Maria O’Sullivan.
Unlike in Rhode Island’s match against UMass, Fordham was able to score in the first half. After two failed shots on goal from senior Saige Bingman, a long shot from senior Milan Bornstein resulted in the only goal of the day.
According to Coach Jessee, there are “little things here and there” that are the difference between the Rams’ ties, losses and wins.
“There are stretches of every game that we have gone into overtime where we have very much dominated the game,” she said. “The one piece we are missing right now is just kind of that final finish on the offensive end in terms of scoring goals, but we are literally doing everything else at a really high level. We are knocking at the door and just trying to find that last piece.”
The lone goal of Sunday’s matchup came from UMass sophomore Olivia Gouldsbury. After receiving the pass from sophomore Serena Ahmed, Gouldsbury sent the ball to the back of the net to give the Minutewomen the only goal they needed to seal the victory in overtime.
Sunday’s match vs the Minutewomen was the first time all year the URI Soccer Complex was used in action – men’s or women’s. Although the inclement weather was rough, with heavy rain visiting the state of Rhode Island throughout Sunday, URI Head Coach Megan Jessee said she thought the Rams played well and had great energy.
“I thought we dealt with the conditions pretty well,” she said. “We created some great chances. Obviously, it is a little unfortunate in the end to lose in overtime, but [I am] definitely proud of the performance they put out there in terms of work rate and stuff like that. Right now, we just seem to be missing that final piece.”
Out of 11 games, Sunday’s matchup marked the fifth contest this season that the Rams have played in overtime; it also marked their fourth loss outside of regulation. Coach Jessee said that keeping UMass, the team that holds first-place in the Atlantic 10 North, to just one goal proves how the team “does not give up a ton of chances” and has a strong defense.
“We are in every one of those games,” said Jessee. “That is kind of the good and the bad. We are so close, but that is where some of the frustration comes in because we are still searching for that last little piece just to finish these games off.”
Rhody’s closest opportunity to put a goal on the board came from sophomore Claire Ross on a breakaway in the 24th minute. She dribbled right in the box and shot left, but UMass’s freshman goalie Bella Mendoza tipped the ball just wide outside the right post to keep URI scoreless.
Last Thursday, URI again faced Fordham, this time in the Bronx. The result was a 2-1 loss for the visitors in a match that concluded in OT that saw the return of senior captain Brooke Osmanski, who missed the entirety of the 2019 season due to injury. She started in Wednesday’s rematch against Fordham.
It is Coach Jessee’s hope that Osmanski’s return can be “somewhat of a spark” for the team and act as the missing piece Rhody needs to get more balls in the back of their opponents’ nets.
On Saturday, the Rams head to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to play Saint Joseph’s University, a team they tied 1-1 earlier in the season.