The University of Rhode Island men’s soccer team fell short this week, losing to Brown University, Duquesne University and Stony Brook University.
The Rams fell 2-1 on the road in Providence on Sept. 15. It was a thriller where the Rams started down 2-0. Brown set the tone early, scoring one minute and 33 seconds into the contest. The Bears then stretched the lead to 2-0 early in the second half.
Rhode Island got on the board late with a goal from second-year Everson Goglia to make it 2-1, giving the Rams a shot late in the game.
“He can change a game; he’s a dangerous player,” URI head coach Gareth Elliot said. “He can beat you off the dribble, very tricky, very creative player, great work rate.”
The goal was assisted by fifth-year Tiago Barriguinha, marking his first assist of the season and Goglia’s second goal.
Goglia has been a bright spot for the Rams attack so far this season after finishing his freshman season with a pair of goals in 15 matches.
“I feel as though I’ve been really good at being able to take the ball, trying to get in the final third, taking people on, getting past those players, and trying to create chances for the team,” Goglia said.
Rhode Island ultimately couldn’t tie the match down the stretch. Goglia received a red card in the 87th minute, suspending him for the next game against Duquesne.
The offensive attack was there for the Rams against Brown with 13 total shots but couldn’t put enough in the back of the net. Third-year goalkeeper William Synnestvedt was impressive against the Bears, posting six saves.
On Saturday, the Rams traveled to Pittsburgh to face Duquesne, where they were shut out 1-0, giving them a loss in their first conference action.
Duquesne had scored the lone goal 48 minutes into the match. Synnestvedt’s goalkeeping was strong again, keeping the Rams close with five saves on the day.
Rhode Island’s offense continued to have a strong attack, posting another 13 shots. Despite putting pressure on Duquesne, they failed to score.
“We had many chances in the game; we just couldn’t find the back of the net,” Elliot said.
Rhode Island closed the week on Tuesday with a 3-1 loss to Stony Brook. The Seawolves scored two second-half goals to pull away after entering halftime even at 1-1.
“Just taking it one game at a time,” Goglia said. “We know what we’re capable of and what we’re capable of doing, and I think if we just keep working hard and cleaning up pieces of our game, we can start putting wins together.”
Rhody’s offense has struggled badly to put the ball into the net. They now have a team total of nine goals in nine matches while the defense played quite solid.
“All we can do is focus on the next game, whether we win them or lose them,” Elliot said. “We’ve got to move on quickly; the games move thick and fast, so we don’t have time to dwell on it.”
The Rams finally return to the URI Soccer Complex after a five-game road stretch for their second conference matchup. Rhody plays Saturday at 7 p.m. against Saint Joseph’s University, where they’ll look to flip the page. The game will be available to watch on ESPN+.
