The Good 5 Cent Cigar

Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Meghan Vendettoli Freshman Nelli Ruotsalainen defends against a Fordham player during Sunday's game. The Rams lost the game, 4-0.

10/23/07 - In the end, one win isn't equal to one loss. The University of Rhode Island women's soccer team won the first of two weekend home games on Friday but it was overshadowed by a crucial loss on Sunday.

The Rams shut out La Salle 2-0 Friday night for their 10th victory of the year but that game was soon forgotten after an embarrassing 4-0 loss Sunday against Fordham. The loss was the team's first at home in six games.

"Friday was a great result but it is sort of like it doesn't matter now," head coach Zac Shaw said after Sunday's loss. "I would be lying if I said that I wasn't disappointed that we didn't win both because I think we needed to win both."

The loss was so disappointing because of the implications that it has for the rest of the season.

"Now this puts us in a bad situation league-wise and that might be the end of our chances at getting an at large bid into the NCAA tournament," Shaw said. "It's a huge loss and it's a loss to a team in our region as well. I can't state how much of a disappointment that is."

For Shaw, the problem with the team on Sunday was the team's lack of urgency in a game that he described as the worst the team has played in his three years at URI.

"We get comfortable with the idea that we can make chances and make chances but when we don't score then it's a problem. We need to be harder as a group instead of trying to finesse our way through every situation. Soccer is about having a fighting spirit and we were really, really lacking."

The Rams out-shot Fordham 20-11 in the game but were unable to finish while Fordham capitalized on its chances. Fordham scored late in the first half to take a 1-0 lead into halftime and then added three more in the second half including one with five minutes left in the game.

"If we come out and score three goals off the chances that we created then the game would have been over," Shaw said. "I give Fordham credit for creating four chances and scoring on those four chances, but they didn't do anything special."

Shaw added, "Part of the problem is that we are a program that is getting better and better every year and with success comes responsibly. For every team we play, it's a huge game for them because of our other success."

Shaw said he was very happy with the way the team played on Friday in very tough weather conditions.

"I loved Friday," he said. "Friday was really crappy weather and it was pouring rain and real windy and we played well. I was happy because it takes toughness to play in conditions when they're not perfect."

On Friday freshman Colleen Dowd scored her first collegiate goal and Deb Nelson scored her team-leading 10th goal of the season.

The Rams will have to rebound and regain some momentum on the road this weekend with games against St. Louis and Charlotte that Shaw described as huge conference games for them. They will take on St. Louis on Friday night and then play Charlotte on Sunday afternoon.

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