Photos and Game Summary: Heartbreak for Rams in ACC10 Quarterfinals

Official VCU Game Summary

Score: #8 Saint Joseph’s 1, #1 VCU 0

Location: Richmond, Va. (Sports Backers Stadium)
Records: VCU 13-4-0, Saint Joseph’s 6-11-2

The short story: While the Rams dominated possession throughout the match, the Hawks held on after an early goal to capture an upset win in the Atlantic 10 quarterfinals.

QUICK FACTS

• The Rams held a whopping 63% of the possession in the match.
• VCU outshot the Hawks by a 25-7 margin, including a 7-5 edge in shots on goal.
• The Rams also held the advantage in corner kicks, 8-2.
• VCU won the A-10 Regular Season Championship, the first for the Rams since joining the conference in 2012, after tying a school record with nine straight wins to start conference play.
• Saint Joseph’s got into the A-10 Tournament on the last day of the regular season, beating VCU 1-0 on Oct. 24 despite being outshot 24-10.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Hawks got on the board first, as Erica Behr cleaned up a rebound from Gabriella Senni’s shot off a corner kick in the third minute.
• The Rams were on the front foot for the rest of the match, with a quality chance coming in the 19th minute as redshirt senior forward Lyndsey Gutzmer ripped a shot after a cross from sophomore midfielder Ella Higgins was deflected in the box.
• In the 25th minute, junior midfielder Anna Bagley played a ball over the top for senior defender Lana Golob to volley on frame.
• In the 34th, senior defender Emily Charen intercepted a pass in the attacking third, sparking a counter-attack. She played a give-and-go with Bagley, then played a cross into the six-yard box for Higgins, whose first-time shot went wide.
• Moments later, redshirt senior goalkeeper Grace Young sprung off her line to smother a heavy touch from a Hawks breakaway.
• The barrage of VCU shots continued into the second half, with redshirt senior midfielder Emma Kershner testing the Hawks’ goalkeeper from outside the box with a left-footed strike, forcing a diving save.
• Moments later, senior defender Amber DiOrio sprinted to intercept a pass, then played a beautiful ball to graduate forward Bri Kropinack in stride, whose shot went just over the bar.
• In the 62nd minute, Golob headed a corner kick off the crossbar, then sophomore forward Annabel Anderson‘s follow-up attempt sailed high.
• Sophomore defender Natalia Santangelo went on an enterprising run down the left flank in the 77th minute, cutting inside and firing a shot on goal.
• Sophomore attacker Aisha Maughan had a last-ditch effort in the 89th minute, floating a left-footed shot on goal that was saved.