Sept. 29, 2006
KINGSTON, R.I. -
RHODE ISLAND (4-6-0 OVERALL/ 0-0-0 ATLANTIC 10): On Friday, September 29, the University of Rhode Island women's soccer team opens up its Atlantic 10 slate with a 7:00 p.m. match against La Salle at the URI Soccer Complex. The contest will be the second in a five-game homestand for the Rams. After spending a month on the road, the Rams returned to Kingston on Wednesday night (9/27) and cruised to a 5-1 win over Harvard. With the win, Rhody improved to 2-0 at home. Outside of URI Soccer Complex, the Rams have posted a 2-6 record this season, with three of their six losses coming to teams that are ranked among the top in the nation, according to this week's NSCAA/adidas poll. Rhode Island fell to reigning national champion Portland, 8-0, in Seattle on 9/3. The Pilots currently are ranked No. 7. On 9/17, Rhody traveled to No. 22 Maine and was handed a 2-0 loss by the then-undefeated Black Bears. Three days later, URI dropped a 4-2 decision to Boston College. The Eagles have received votes throughout the season but just broke into the top-25 this week with a 25th ranking.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: #13 Deb Nelson, #16 Amy Cochran, #6 Thorunn Jonsdottir, #4 Kassandra Spitler, #19 Lauren Forgione... Nelson currently leads the team with 14 points on six goals and four assists. Most recently, she tallied twice and notched an assist in URI's 5-1 crushing of Harvard (9/27). Cochran has collected 10 points on the season (four goals, two assists), and has had a hand in all four Rhody wins this year. Jonsdottir and Spitler have been great playmakers for URI, with three assists each. Jonsdottir also has scored twice for a total of 7 points entering tonight's match. Forgione is currently third on the team in scoring, netting two of her three goals Wednesday night against Harvard.
GOALKEEPER: Freshman Amanda Thomas, who came to Rhode Island as a defender, took on the goalkeeping role after classmate and starting keeper Jackie Fede suffered an injury in the season-opener. In her first outing against UW-Milwaukee, Thomas allowed just one goal on a penalty kick. She backstopped URI's next two wins, including a shutout against Northern Arizona on 9/10. To date, Thomas has made 35 saves and posted a 1.52 goals against average.
LA SALLE (3-6-0 OVERALL/ 0-0-0 ATLANTIC 10): La Salle comes to Rhode Island following a tough loss to Lehigh in double-overtime on 9/24. Prior to the loss, the Explorers had won consecutive games against Fairleigh Dickinson (2-0, 9/22) and Manhattan (2-1, 2OT, 9/17). La Salle has a 0-4-0 record on the road this season and has been 3-2-0 at home.
EXPLORERS vs. RAMS: Last season, Rhode Island traveled to Philadelphia, Pa. to take on La Salle on October 21. In that game, the Rams notched a 2-1 victory over the Explorers and extended their series lead to 7-1-1.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: #14 Heather Barclay, #3 Melanie Gamble, #10 Dana Giordano... Barclay, Giordano and Gamble are tied for the team lead with two goals each. Barclay also has recorded two assists for a total of six points on the season. Gamble has five points on two goals and one assist, as does Giordano, who has taken a team-high 22 shots this season. Three additional Explorers, #22 Kim Lisun, #7 Sara Copare and #6 Ally Kenney, have recorded two assists to date. #23 Kristin Hextall, daughter of legendary NHL goalie Ron Hextall, is second on the team is shots (19) but has yet to find the back of the net.
GOALKEEPERS: #1 Lauren Malizia has played six games for La Salle and enters tonight's game with a 2-4 record to go along with a 1.43 goals against average. #00 Amy Grant has seen action in three games for La Salle, accumulating a 1-2 record and a .640 goals against average. Together, the duo has allowed 11 goals this season, for a combined GAA of 1.17 through nine games this season.
