October 18, 2009

RAMS DROP SEVENTH ONE-GOAL DECISION OF THE YEAR, 1-0 TO OLD DOMINION
Box Score

RICHMOND, Va. – In soccer, every goal is so crucial.

The Virginia Commonwealth University women’s soccer team is finding that out the hard way as the Black & Gold dropped its seventh one-goal decision of the season, 1-0 to Old Dominion, in Colonial Athletic Association action on cold, blustery Sunday afternoon.

“The positive thing is that we’re in each one of these games,” Co-Head Coach Tim Sahaydak said. “We’ve had a lot to deal with this year in terms of injuries and having such a young team. We just have to keep fighting and working on improving each day.”

With the loss, it marks the sixth time this year that the Rams have been on the wrong side of a 1-0 decision. VCU drops to 6-8-2 on the year and 2-5-1 in CAA play, while ODU improves to 7-6-4 and 3-2-3 in conference action.

VCU would have a chance early in the ninth minute when senior June Hartman (Virginia Beach, Va.) found a hole along the right side of the defense and fed a pass through the box for Lauryn Hutchinson (Sterling, Va.), who was able to get a head on it, but the shot went just wide.

Old Dominion would increase their pressure with five shots in the first ten minutes. The pressure would pay off in the 15th minute when Jocelyn Weidner dribbled along the right side of the box and found Ashlee Coutu in the box, for the freshman’s ninth goal of the year and give the Monarchs a 1-0 advantage.

The Monarchs kept the aggressiveness going with a 10-2 shot advantage in the first half, three of which were on target.

VCU would come out of the locker room looking to reverse the momentum and it looked like the Rams had done that in the 61st minute when Hutchinson sent a beautiful corner into the box, where junior Myriam Bouchard (Quebec City, Quebec) for what was thought to be her second goal of the season. However, a foul was called on the play to wipe out the goal and keep the score at 1-0 in favor of Old Dominion.

Shots by sophomores Meaghan Dullea (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Azania (Taboao Da Sarra, Brazil) with less than 10 minutes left would be the only other Black & Gold attempts as the Monarchs packed in the defense to limit any scoring opportunities and preserve the 1-0 win.

Senior Kate Hudson (Clarksville, Md.) did all she could between the posts, tallying six saves on the afternoon.

The Rams return to action on Friday evening when they travel to Hofstra for a 7 p.m. contest with the league-leading Pride.