Sept. 17, 2004

Box Score

CORVALLIS, Ore. - The No. 21-ranked University of Rhode Island men's soccer team defeated Vermont 4-1 in the opening game of the Oregon State Invitational on Friday.

The Rams, who are ranked No. 21 in the nation and No. 2 in New England by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, won their fifth-straight game to improve to 5-1 on the season. Vermont, the No. 8 ranked team in New England, dropped to 2-2-1.

Senior Sasha Gotsmanov continued to pour on the points with a goal and assist, giving him six goals and two assists for 14 points after just six games. Gotsmanov is now tied for 16th on the Rams' all-time scoring list with 57 career points, one point away from entering the top 15.

Sophomore Jeffrey Gonsalves (Markham, Ontario) scored his third goal of the season on an assist from Gotsmanov to give the Rams a 1-0 lead 23 minutes into the game.

John Kochis put Rhody up 2-0 taking an assist from Dawid Badecki just six minutes later to give the Rams a 2-0 lead at the half.

Gotsmanov made it 3-0 when he scored on a penalty kick in the 67th minute and the Rams might have posted their third-straight shutout if it wasn't for a Vermont penalty kick in the 76th minute.

Junior Simon Gatti scored an unassisted goal with three minutes remaining for the final margin of victory.

Junior goalkeeper Dean Ruddy (Mt. Prospect, Ill.) made four saves in net, allowing only a penalty kick to get by him. Rhode Island out-shot Vermont 19-11.

The No. 21 ranked Rams return to Sunday at 5 p.m. against host Oregon State (2-4-1), who played to a 1-1 tie with UC-Davis in the second game Saturday.