Rhode Island (9-3-0, 3-1-0 A-10)
Starters: Eden (GK), Gilbert, Penny, Samalonis, Name, MacDonald, Rosenfeld, Carstensen, Sylvester, Camacho, Jacobs 
Substitutes: Yee, Rice, Steinbach, Poon, White, Hines

Fordham (7-4-1, 2-2-0 A-10)
Starters: King (GK), Vricella, Mercedes, Tervo, Simonin, Johnson, Guth, Giudice, Rios, Holton, Colton  
Substitutes: Maguire, Acosta, Kelleher, Quinn, Reid

Scoring Summary
16:01 - URI - Samalonis (MacDonald)
51:32 - URI - Jacobs (Carstensen, Sylvester)

How it Happened
Rhode Island picked up a big conference victory, knocking off Fordham 2-0 for its third win in Atlantic 10 play Thursday night.

URI struck early, getting the first goal of the season for Kyra Samalonis. Lauren MacDonald controlled the ball in the corner and worked her way toward the box before curling a left-footed pass across to the back post. Samalonis worked in behind the defense and headed the ball in for a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute.

Fordham's best chance of the first half came when a long pass ahead found Liina Tervo streaking down the right sideline. Rhody defender Aida Name sprinted back and was able to slide and deflect the ball as Tervo shot, softening the attempt so keeper Dani Eden could make the stop with less than two minutes to go before the break.

Rhody padded its lead in the 52nd minute when Nika Jacobs buried a rebound. McKenna Sylvester sent a corner kick into the box, and Mie Carstensen headed it on target, forcing Fordham's Kyla King to make a diving save. The rebound went to Jacobs, who sent it to the back of the net for the insurance goal.

Inside the Box Score

• The win clinched Rhode Island's first .500 season since 2014, when it was 12-5-2.
• Rhode Island has outscored the opposition 7-1 over its last four matches.
• The goal for sophomore Kyra Samalonis was the first of her career.
• Lauren MacDonald picked up her fifth assist of the season, tying Jill Rosenfeld for the team lead.
• MacDonald moved into 25th place in program history with 34 career points (12 goals, 10 assists), passing Kris Jeremiah (12 goals, 8 assists from 1988-91).
• Keeper Dani Eden needed to make just three saves to record her seventh shutout of the season.
• Eden lowered her Atlantic 10-leading goals-against average to 0.54.  
• Nika Jacobs picked up her second goal of the year.
• McKenna Sylvester got her team-leading 14th point with her second assist.
• Mie Carstensen recorded her fourth assist of the year.
• Sylvester (14), MacDonald (11) and Carstensen (10) all have reached double digits for points on the season. It is the first time since 2012 Rhody has had three players with 10 or more points in the same year. That season, Jennifer Barrientos (15 points), Ashley Evangelista (12) and Ellie Bailes (10) were the last trio to do it.

Up Next
Rhode Island visits Richmond Sunday, Oct. 5 for a 2 p.m. match. The game will stream on ESPN+.