Oct. 17, 2004

Box Score

KINGSTON, R.I. - The University of Rhode Island men's soccer team could not overtake Dayton in an intense 3-2 loss Sunday at the URI Soccer Complex.

The Rams scored the game's first goal early in the second half, but Dayton erased that lead in less than a minute and had the Rams playing catch-up the rest of the afternoon. All three of Dayton's goals came on set plays, with two coming on free kicks and one on a corner kick. Nate Darr scored two of the goals and Omar Jarun had the other with all three coming on assists from Chris Rolfe.

Rhode Island sophomore Jeffrey Gonsalves (Markham, Ontario) scored his seventh goal of the season and freshman Danleigh Borman (Cape Town, South Africa) netted his first collegiate goal.

The Rams (8-5-1, 3-2-1 Atlantic 10) out-shot the Flyers 12-7 and had five corners to just two for Dayton (7-5-1, 4-2-0 Atlantic 10). After Darr scored the eventual game-winner on a header off a corner kick from Rolfe with 24:03 remaining, the Rams dominated play, keeping possession of the ball in Dayton's side of the field for almost the entire final 10 minutes of the game. The Rams were unable to tie the score as Dayton keeper Steve Ladislaw came up with some key saves down the stretch on his way to five saves for the game.

Dayton broke the six-game scoring streak for Rhode Island senior Sasha Gotsmanov (Woodbury, Minn.), who entered the game leading the nation with 14 goals on the season. Gotsmanov did take two shots, including one that hit the crossbar with 27 minutes remaining.

After a scoreless first-half the two teams were quick to get on the board in the second session. Just 23 seconds into the second half, Gonsalves came up with a loose ball outside of the box and beat Ladislaw for a 1-0 lead. Dayton needed just 42 seconds to tie the game when Rolfe took a free kick from just outside the box and Darr was in front of the net to beat the keeper with the Flyers only goal coming by way of a foot on the afternoon.

The Flyers took their first lead of the game when the Rams were called for a foul in the left corner and Rolfe's cross on the free kick was headed into the back of the net by Jarun for a 2-1 Dayton lead. The Rams tied the game seven minutes later when Borman scored his first collegiate goal on a free kick from 25 yards out.

Once again the Flyers were quick to answer, as Rolfe took a cornerkick that was the perfect cross to set up a header into the net by Darr, giving the Flyers a 3-2 lead.

Rhode Island returns to action Friday when they travel to La Salle. Rhode Island plays at Fordham next Sunday before returning to the URI Soccer Complex to finish the season with four home games.