Photos and Game Summary: Rams Hammer St. Bonaventure, Crowned A-10 Regular Season Champs

Official VCU Game Summary

Score: VCU 4, St. Bonaventure 0
Location: Richmond, Va (Sports Backers Stadium)
Records: VCU 5-5-5 (5-1-2), St. Bonaventure 6-7-4 (2-5-1)

THE SHORT STORY: Behind a career night from Jonathan Kanagwa VCU Men’s Soccer dominated St. Bonaventure from the start to win 4-0 and take home the Atlantic 10 Regular Season title.

It’s the Rams’ first regular season title since 2018 and it gives them the No. 1 seed and home field advantage throughout the conference tournament.

“I was proud of the boys, it was a total team effort,” said Head Coach Dave Giffard. “This group deserves to celebrate tonight and have the week to get ready for the next one. Our goals at the beginning of the season were to chase three trophies. This one was the first one available and we got it.

“Next one up for grabs is the A-10 tournament I think we have eight teams who could all win the title, so it certainly won’t be easy, but as the number one seed, we’ve given ourselves the best chance possible.”

PITCH SIDE

• Kanagwa had himself a night, following his senior day ceremony, notching two goals and two assists on the night
• Andrey Salmeron scored his second goal of the season
• Papa Toure netted his third goal of the season
• Kanagwa assisted on Salmeron and Toure’s goals
• Mouhamed Tucker assisted on a pair of goals, assisting on Kanagwa’s first and Salmeron’s
• Gerardo Castillo (Toure) and Andres Rodriguez (Kanagwa’s second) each added an assist
• John Ermini made the start in goal, making a season-high six saves
• The four goals were the most scored by the Rams in a game since 2019
• It was the largest margin of victory for VCU since 2018

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Ermini set the tone early making a pair of saves in the 16th and 17th minutes as VCU came out of the gate ready to play
• Kanagwa got warmed up with a pair of shots on goal in the 19th and 20th minute to set up his career evening
• In the 21st minute Kanagwa fired home the opening goal, assisted by Tucker to give VCU a 1-0 lead
• In the 31st minute the Rams padded their lead when Salmeron sent home a shot that was assisted by Kanagwa and Tucker to make it 2-0 VCU
• Ermini made one more save in the 37th minute to keep it 2-0 VCU as things headed into the break
• It did not take long into the second half for the Rams to extend the lead, when in the 65th minute Toure blasted home a goal that was assisted by Kanagwa and Castillo to make it 3-0
• Kanagwa then put the finishing touches on his career evening, netting his second of the match in the 68th minute to make it 4-0 VCU
• Ermini would make three more saves in the 68th, 80th and 84th minutes to keep the clean sheet
• When the final whistle blew the Rams exploded, as they began to celebrate their A-10 Regular Season title following the 4-0 victory in the regular season finale