The University of Rhode Island women’s soccer team lost their winning ways on Sunday afternoon, spoiling a two-game winning streak with a 2-2 tie to Fordham University on Senior Day.
The first half started with Rhode Island pushing the pace offensively, as Rhody earned a corner kick 84 seconds into the game. However, the ball was sent over the top of the net and no opportunity was created as a result.
10 minutes later, Rhode Island had separate chances to score. First-year Lauren MacDonald missed the net on two attempts from outside the box and the score remained tied at nothing.
Two minutes later, Fordham had a key chance to score with first-year Riley Carroll chasing a bouncing ball into the box. However, fourth-year goalkeeper Faith Hutchins charged out and made a sliding stop to keep Fordham off the scoreboard.
The teams went back and forth for the remainder of the half, with neither able to generate a high-level scoring chance. Both teams returned to their respective corners after 45 minutes at a 0-0 stalemate.
The second half started out much quicker than the first. Four minutes in, Fordham received a corner kick and capitalized. First-year Lena Johnsen curved a ball in from the right corner and connected with fifth-year Emily Crocco, who directed a header into the bottom left corner of the net, past the outstretched arms of Hutchins to give Fordham a 1-0 lead.
In the subsequent 15 minutes, Rhode Island had several chances, sending four shots towards the net and forcing a save from fourth-year goalkeeper Serena Mensah on two of them.
However, the fifth shot of the stretch was the difference maker, coming in the 66th minute. Fourth-year Sam Hagerty launched a shot from the right side, 10 yards outside the box. The ball looped over everyone and fell past the arms of Mensah, dropping into the top-left corner of the net, her first career goal in dramatic fashion.
“I just really hit [the ball] and hoped it [went] over the goalie’s hands,” said Hagerty.
23 seconds later, Rhode Island came across another golden opportunity as third-year Cristina Sallent was pushed down inside the box while dribbling in, earning a penalty. Stepping up to take the shot was fourth-year defender Jordyn Allen, taking the first penalty kick attempt of her collegiate career on her Senior Day.
As a blanket of silence covered the URI Soccer Complex, Allen ran up and knocked the ball low and into the bottom left corner to give Rhode Island a 2-1 lead. This was also Allen’s first career goal.
“I think it being Senior Day, and knowing [the penalty kick] was an opportunity for me to help the team was something that was grounding for me, being that it [was] so nerve-racking,” Allen said. “Hearing my teammates when I [was] walking up to the ball, saying that they know I got it, and that they trusted me to get it… even Carrie [Ellis] coming up and putting the ball in my hands… it just makes it so much easier for me… I’m just kicking it.”
Nine minutes later, Fordham received a golden opportunity as well. Fifth-year Caroline Monahan was tripped inside the box, setting up a second penalty on the opposite side of the field.
Monahan addressed the ball for the kick, ran up and sent it into the bottom right corner. However, Hutchins leapt across the goal and made a diving stop to keep Rhode Island in front 2-1.
The noises of celebration died down at the end of the game for Rhode Island. With seven seconds left in the game, a bouncing ball from a corner kick left third-year Fernanda Serna with the ball in the box, and she snuck it by Hutchins to even up the game at 2-2, which doubled as the final score.
In the past four contests, Rhode Island is 2-0-2, a much better record than their first 10 games, where their record stood at 0-6-4. Head Coach Megan Jessee commented on the change in momentum for her squad as they enter the final stage of their season.
“I just think we are finishing chances now,” Jessee said. “We’ve been very good defensively all year. We haven’t given up many goals, this is only the second game we’ve actually given up more than one goal… obviously you’ve got to score goals to win games, and the last three games we’ve scored six goals…I think that’s why we’ve been so successful.”
The Rams are hoping to continue to put goals on the scoreboard through their final four games, starting when they travel to Saint Bonaventure Thursday. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.