The University of Rhode Island men’s soccer team battled through a slow offensive start this past week to leave their two-game stretch with a record of 1-1.
The Rams first fell to Virginia Commonwealth University 2-0 on Friday, before topping the University at Albany 2-1 on Tuesday.
Rhode Island’s Atlantic 10 opener on the road with the VCU Rams saw limited offensive opportunities for URI, only tallying five shots across the game. These limited chances saw Rhody leave a zero on the scoreboard for the first time this season.
This slow offense bled into the Rams’ next game as well when they hosted the Great Danes on Tuesday night. Rhode Island only attempted a total of six shots in the first half. However, in the second half, offense flourished on either side.
Rhode Island knocked 12 shots in the back half of the contest, converting two of them, which was enough to boost them over the Great Danes. The 74th minute featured the first of the two, when fourth-year Isak Oystese launched a ball into the top-right corner from just outside the box, giving Rhody a 1-0 lead with his 12th career goal.
The goal marked the first for the 2021 A-10 Rookie of the Year since Oct. 10, 2023 when he tallied two against the University of Maine at Fort Kent.
“I told Isak Oystese yesterday at practice he hasn’t scored against a division one team since 2022,” URI Head Coach Gareth Elliott said.
That goal came back on Oct. 5, 2022, when Oystese put one in against Saint Louis University. The goal this past week was a boost for the Rams who were missing two of their top scorers.
Fourth-years Patrick Gryczewski and Brandon Bermingham, who both have two goals on the season, missed the game due to injury.
“It’s always gotta be next man up,” Elliott said. “You’re losing your top-two goal scorers in an important game [where] you’re trying to bounce back. So we challenged the guys this week since the VCU game to step up.”
The 1-0 lead did not last for long though, as 40 seconds later the Great Danes responded with a strike of their own. Fourth-year Ander Castillo headed a ball into the bottom left corner of the net for the equalizer, sending the heads of the home fans into their hands.
“The most vulnerable times to concede a goal are usually the first five minutes of the half, the last five minutes of the half and five minutes after you score,” Elliott said. “So [I was] really not too pleased about that. That was [a] real disappointing aspect of the game for me. You score a goal, you [have] got to keep things tight.”
The tie did not last for long though, as the Rams sent the winner across just under six minutes later. Fourth-year Ivan Montoro blasted a low shot, burning the blades of grass on the way to the goal before squeaking it inside the bottom left corner for a 2-1 Ram lead.
“You’re just shooting,” Montoro said. “You just make it and that’s it.”
Montoro’s easy-going reaction to his winner does not quite match the magnitude that the goal held. Beyond winning them the game, the goal also signified the first time the Rams have scored multiple goals in a contest since the season opener against Saint John’s University back on Aug. 22, when they took down the Red Storm 2-0.
“You know we haven’t really been opening the floodgates with scoring this year,” Elliott said. “So it was a little concerning going to halftime 0-0. [Albany] had some chances, we had some chances.”
Now back in the win column, the Rams must shift back to conference play when they host St. Bonaventure University this Saturday night. In terms of preparation, Montoro has no plans of treating this one any differently.
“It’s all the same for us,” Montoro said. “Every team is the same, [and] the next conference game, it’s gonna be here, so hopefully it gets full and we get the support from the fans.”
The Rams return to action in front of their home fans at the URI Soccer Complex against the Bonnies on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. The game can be streamed on ESPN+.