Photos and Game Summary: Rams Nip the Spiders by a Goal

Official VCU Game Summary

Score: VCU 1, Richmond 0
Location: Richmond, Va. (Sports Backers Stadium)
Records: VCU 2-4-2 (1-0), Richmond 2-4-3 (0-1)

THE SHORT STORY: With a 76th minute goal from Paige Hoeger VCU Women’s Soccer snagged a win in its Atlantic 10 opener, taking down Richmond 1-0 on a Thursday evening under the lights.

The win also doubled as VCU Head Coach Lindsey Martin‘s 100th career win as VCU head coach and it makes her the first coach in program history to reach the century mark.

“Very pleased with our performance and persistence to break them down,” said Martin. “It can be very difficult to break down a team who has so many numbers behind the ball, but we stayed the course and Paige [Hoeger] had a fantastic finish. Our energy, discipline and commitment to our offensive style was top notch.”

THE PITCH SIDE:

• Hoeger’s goal was the first of her career
• Kanna Matsuhisa led the team with three shots on goal, recording five shots overall
• Aisha Maughan racked up two shots on goal to go with her four shots total
• Anna Bagley (two) and Milica Bulatovic (five) each double digits in shots with Bagley’s two shots being on goal
• The Rams racked up 21 shots with 11 shots on goal
• VCU held Richmond to zero shots on goal, and the Spiders only recorded their two shots late in the second half
• The Rams also controlled the corners, collecting eight corners to Richmond’s one
• Martin’s win was the 117th in her 13th season as a head coach overall

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Rams got it started when Maughan ripped a shot that flew over top the net in the 18th
• VCU got its first shot on goal in the 31st minute when Kendyl Sarver tested the Richmond keeper
• As the half dwindled down, the Rams got one more shot on goal when Bulatovic nearly slotted one into the bottom right
• VCU opened the second half with quick shots on goal, getting a pair of attempts from Maughan and a shot that was blocked from Matsuhisa over two minutes from the 54th to the 56th minute
• Matsuhisa ripped VCU’s next three shots on goal, getting one in the 59th minutes, the 69th minute and the 73rd minute as the Rams continued to ask the questions in the match
• Bagley and Isabella Cahall each added a pair of shots on goal in the 75th minute as VCU pelted the Richmond net
• In the 77th minute, Hoeger took a pass in the box, dribbled across three defenders and saw her window
• Without hesitation she absolutely rocketed a shot, threading the needle past the Richmond defenders and past the diving Richmond keeper to find the top right corner and give VCU a 1-0 lead
• The Rams then dug in, playing tough defense, even drawing a Richmond yellow card in the 79th minute on a counter attempt
• In the end, the VCU defense held as the Rams came away with its conference opening win

NEXT UP: The Rams travel to Northern Virginia to continue A-10 play against George Mason on Sunday at 3 p.m.