The University of Rhode Island women’s soccer team extended its unbeaten streak to six games, climbing into second place in the Atlantic 10 Conference with a 4-1 victory at home against Saint Joseph’s University on Saturday evening.
The Rams needed less than two minutes to find the back of the net against the visiting Hawks. First-year Molly Merkel converted with the outside of her boot on an assist from fourth-year Jill Rosenfeld to kick off the scoring, and URI never looked back.
“Obviously, if we can score early, that is the ideal scenario,” Rams head coach Megan Jessee said. “ It gives you momentum and good energy throughout the rest of the game.”
Rhody utilized that momentum and good energy to the tune of four total goals in the contest, their highest-scoring performance all season.
Merkel supplied half the scoring, netting both the opening and final goal, scored in the 50th minute.
“I think communication with my teammates on the field and the energy that everyone gave off was great,” Merkel said. “It made us all want to keep going.”
This was the first multi-goal output of Merkel’s collegiate career. The Carol Stream, Illinois, native received A10 Rookie of the Week honors on Monday for her performance.
She is the second Ram to earn Rookie of the Week honors this season, joining fellow first-year Emily Morgan on Aug. 24.
The other two URI goals came courtesy of fourth-years Lauren MacDonald and Megan Steinbach. MacDonald’s goal was the 22nd of her career, moving her into seventh place in program history in that category.
Steinbach recorded both a goal and an assist in the game, giving her three of each this season for a total of nine points after she registered two points in her first three seasons combined.
Third-year Kaia Rice finished the game with two assists, contributing to the final two goals.
URI has gone 4-0-2 in this six-game span. The team has only had three longer unbeaten streaks in the last 36 years. With 16 total points, the Rams hold sole possession of second place in the A10 with three games to go in the regular season.
“We just have to keep going,” Jessee said. “Hopefully [the win] gives us a lot of confidence down the stretch.”
Rhody controls its own destiny at this point in the season. The team is now a win away from clinching a spot in the A10 Championship.
This is relatively uncharted territory for the URI women’s soccer program. Last season the team clinched a top-four seed for the first time in over a decade. The Rams have been a top-two seed just three times ever, last achieving that milestone in 2005.
Seeding isn’t everything, as evidenced by the Rams’ run to the finals as the four seed last season, but better seeding provides a path to home-field advantage.
URI visits George Mason University on Thursday at 6 p.m. with a chance to lock down a spot in the postseason.
