Nov. 7, 2004

Box Score

KINGSTON, R.I. - It was a Senior Day to remember as all three University of Rhode Island men's soccer seniors factored into the scoring as the Rams defeated Brown 2-1 Sunday afternoon the URI Soccer Complex.

The three seniors on this year's squad, who were honored in a pre-game ceremony and played in their last regular season game at the URI Soccer Complex, accounted for a goal and two assists on their day.

Senior Mohamed Keita (Lanham, Md.) scored a goal and fellow seniors Emerson Aquilera (Tulsa, Okla.) and Sasha Gotsmanov (Woodbury, Minn.) had assists on a goal by sophomore Joe Spofford (Waterville, Maine) as the Rams defeated the Bears for the second-straight season and the fourth time in the last five meetings. It was the 11th-straight game in this heated rivalry that has been decided by one goal and their was a total of six yellow cards issued in Sunday's game.

"It was a good win considering a lot of players were out for us, it was a real team effort," Rhode Island head coach Ed Bradley said. "This is a big rivalry game and it's always good to come away with a win. We scored on two set pieces, so we're happy with that."

The Rams got on the scoreboard first with 4:08 remaining in the first half, when junior Simon Gatti (Welland, Ontario) took a corner kick and Keita was there to put the ball in the back of the net for his first goal of the season that gave Gatti his third assist. Keita, who has been hampered by injuries this season, was named to the 2003 Atlantic 10 Championship Team after scoring the game-winning goal in both the semifinals and finals in helping the Rams' to the tourney title last November.

Exactly two minutes into the second half the Rams made it 2-0 when Aquilera took a corner kick that Gotsmanov played off to Spofford, who found the back of the net for his second goal of the season. It was Gotsmanov's team-high eighth assist of the season which gives him a nation-leading 46 points in 20 games. He also leads the country in goals with 19. Aquilera's assist was his third of the season and the 20th of his career, which puts him in a tie for seventh in school history.

Spofford's goal proved to be the game-winner as Brown's Andrew Daniels scored off an assist from Brian Perry in the 68th minute to cut the lead in half, but the Rams held off the Bears for the finals 22 minutes for the win.

Brown out-shot Rhode Island 16-9 and held a 10-8 advantage on shots on goal, but Rhode Island goalkeeper Dean Ruddy (Mt. Prospect, Ill.) made a season-high nine saves to preserve the victory. Brown goalkeeper Chris Gomez turned back six Rhody shots.

The Rams finish the regular season 12-7-1 overall and 6-4-1 in the Atlantic 10. Rhody is the fifth seed in the Atlantic 10 Championship and begins the defense of its conference title Thursday in the quarterfinals when they play tournament host and No. 4 seed George Washington at 1:15 p.m.