Photos and Game Summary: Rams Battle Billikens to a Scoreless Draw

Official VCU Game Summary

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

The short story: VCU Men’s Soccer opened up Atlantic 10 play with a strong effort against Saint Louis, out shooting the Billikens throughout the game, battling to a scoreless draw under the Friday night lights.

“It was great to have almost everyone available for selection and in training this week,” said Head Coach Dave Giffard. “Tonight was a really good step in the right direction. Obviously, we were disappointed not to find the goal but the performance was a great way to start Atlantic 10 play and I think this is just the beginning of what is coming for this team. Now recovery is key and a few training days before we head to Old Dominion on Tuesday night.”

QUICK FACTS

• VCU out shot the Billikens 13-1 in the second half, with six shots on goal
• The Rams finished with 16 total shots, holding Saint Louis to just one shot on goal, coming in the opening half
• Andrey Salmeron had five shots, leading the team and adding two on goal
• Scott McLeod, Jonathan Kanagwa and Seni Joesph each had two shots total and one on goal
• John Ermini calmy controlled the net all night, recording one save on the lone shot he faced

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Over the opening 45 minutes, Saint Louis did press the Rams, but VCU was up to the task
• Ermini snagged his first and lone save on the match in the second minute as the Rams flexed defensively in front of the net to keep Saint Louis off the board
• As the half dwindled down, the Rams begun to set the tone, getting shots that went out just wide from Moussa Ndiaya (38th minute) and Gerardo Castillo (41st minute)
• The Rams opened the second 45 with two shots on goal, when Leonel Vergara ripped one that forced a save in the 48th minute and in the 51st minute Kanagwa forced another save by the SLU keeper
• Back-to-back shots on goal came in the 61st minute when Salmeron shot one that was parried into the path of McLeod who followed up with a shot of his own that was also saved
• Salmeron added another shot in the 62nd minute that worked the Billikens keeper
• In the 78th minute, Matthew Wrobel of Saint Louis snagged a yellow card, he followed that up in the 83rd minute with a second yellow that turned to red putting Saint Louis down a man
• Over the final minutes the Rams had four corner kicks as they looked for the winner, but were unable to come away with the go-ahead goal as things ended in a draw

UP NEXT: VCU is away in their next two games. First at Old Dominion September 19th then at UMass on September 23rd.