The University of Rhode Island’s men’s soccer team hosted fellow Atlantic 10 conference opponent Saint Louis University on Saturday night, losing 1-0.
The loss marked the second straight loss for the Rams in A-10 play after losing to the Duquesne University Dukes on Oct. 9.
The Rams had been struggling the last three games to put one in the back of the net as they had only scored one goal in their last three games.
In the 10th minute, URI had their best goal scoring opportunity of the game as sixth-year goalkeeper Edu Rodriguez cleared the ball and found third-year forward Íñigo Etxegarai sprinting down the middle of the field with no one in front of him. As Etxegarai closed in on the Billikens’ net with only fourth-year goalkeeper Jeremi Abonnel in his way, Etxegarai placed his shot towards the back left corner of the net, but Abonnel made a diving save to prevent the Billikens from facing an early 1-0 deficit.
Six minutes later, the Billikens took advantage of one of their best chances of the game as Billikens’ fourth-year forward Seth Anderson crossed the ball from the right side into a crowded penalty box full of Rams and Billikens. Fellow fourth-year forward Matthew Wrobel headed the ball towards the right side of the net and fourth-year forward Luis Lara tapped the ball in to give the Billikens an early 1-0 lead.
The shutout for the Rams wasn’t for a lack of trying, as the Rams had 12 shots with four on goal.
“We really have to focus on the strike and try to hit the frame and make [Abonnel] make a save,” URI Head Coach Gareth Elliott said. “We had a good few [shots] go over [the net] or wide as well but thought we created some chances tonight, which is better than some games this year.”
Elliot’s postgame comments about the Rams’ shots hitting the frame may have been a slight reference to URI fourth-year midfielder Patrick Gryczewski as, in the 58th minute, Gryczewski’s shot from outside the penalty box curved just a bit too far to the left, hitting the back left post then ricocheting away from the net.
Rodriguez, even though he let in that early goal, was strong in net for the Rams, facing three shots out of the four that were put on goal by the Billikens and facing six total shots. Rodriguez was constantly diving and coming out of the net to make plays on the ball to keep the game at 1-0.
“It comes to just limiting the mistakes, making the opponent beat you instead of just handing it to them,” Rodriguez said. “The last two games have been tough, on the road, and also having a lot of injuries, but forcing [opponents] to beat us and not making mistakes is something we have to work on.”
The Rams now get a much needed break, according to Rodriguez, as they do not play again until Saturday against the University of Massachusetts Minutemen at the URI Soccer Complex at 7:05 p.m.
“We’re coming off a stretch where we were playing every three days and a lot of them were on the road,” Elliott said. “It’s been really fatiguing on the [players] so to have a week between games right now, the players [who played big minutes] will enjoy a little bit of rest, do some recovery training [Sunday].”
Saturday’s game can be streamed ESPN+, with a radio call of the game available on wriu.org .