Rhode Island (7-8-0, 5-2-0 A10)
Starters: Synnestvedt (GK), Martin, Tanddo, Kalina, Barriguinha, Bruning, Goglia, Mueller, Harris, Husterer, Froberg
Substitutes: Huhnholz, Krause, Forster, Schwab, Goba
Dayton (8-3-3, 2-2-2 A10)
Starters: Inkpen (GK), Acheampong, Camacho, Madsen, Martinez, Ogundare, Seel, Lijewski, Bonham, Dubins, Jackson
Substitutes: Pinto, Buabeng
Scoring Summary
24:15 – DAY – Bonham (Seel, Lijewski)
31:14 - URI - Goba (Krause)
52:46 - URI - Mueller (Froberg)
81:03 - DAY -Lijewski (Seel)
84:51 - DAY - Jackson (Lijewski, Seel)
How it Happened
Cooper Lijewski had a goal and an assist in the final nine minutes to help Dayton rally late to knock off Rhode Island 3-2 Wednesday night. The loss snapped Rhody's five-match win streak.
In yet another wild back-and-forth contest, the visiting Flyers picked up three key points in the conference standings. URI remained in first place - now in a tie with Duquesne - while Dayton jumped up to fifth place.
Pablo Martinez nearly put the Flyers up in the 14th minute. He took a cross and fired low to the left of Rhody keeper
William Synnestvedt. The shot hit the left post and bounced across the box but did not cross the goal line.
Dayton did draw first blood in the 25th minute. A left-footed cross by Braden Seel found Miles Bonham, who was able to volley the ball while airborne, knocking his shot into the net.
Rhode Island got an instant return on substitutions made by head coach
Gareth Elliott in the 31st minute.
Daniel Goba and
Luca Krause were both part of a group of four subs for the Rams. Officially 21 seconds after they entered the contest, Kruase beat a Dayton defender to a free ball down the right side. He slid a crossing pass in front of the net to Goba, who deftly snuck a shot past Santino Inkpen while also leaping over a sliding defender.
The Rams took their first lead in the 53rd minute when
Connor Froberg sent a long throw-in to the box.
Luca Mueller was able to fight through the scrum and get the ball on his foot. He sent a shot past Inkpen to put URI ahead, 2-1.
Colin Martin made a big play for the Rhody defense in the 59th minute. Dayton's Miles Bonham had the ball on his foot in the box with an open net in front of him. His shot was on target, but Martin was in perfect position to knock it away and prevent the goal.
Dayton nearly knotted the score again in the 67th minute, but Rhody keeper
William Synnestvedt made a spectacular diving save. Cooper Lijewski got his head on a pass and put the shot on target to the right of Synnestvedt, who dove and deflected the ball away.
The Flyers were able to get a late equalizer. Braden Seel sent a looping pass from the right sideline to Cooper Lijewski, who got behind the Ram defense. Lijewski was able to volley the shot past Synnestvedt.
Three minutes later, Lijewski and Seel both assisted on a goal from Chase Jackson, who was able to control a rebound and score the game winner.
Â
Inside the Box Score
- Despite the loss, Rhode Island has clinched a top three finish in the final standings, thanks to Fordham's loss at Davidson Wednesday. As such, the Rams will host an opening-round match.
- URI and Duquesne are tied atop the standings with 15 points, while Saint Louis has 13 points. Rhody has one A10 match remaining, while Duquesne and Saint Louis both have two left.
- With his first goal of the season, Daniel Goba became the 10th different Rhode Island player to find the back of the net this season.
- Luca Mueller's goal was his second of the year.
- Connor Froberg is up to five points on the season (1 goal, 3 assists). He has four of those points over his last four matches.
- Froberg is the seventh different Ram with at least five points this season.
- Each of Rhode Island's last four matches have had at least four goals combined by the two teams. In the last four matches, URI has 14 goals, while the opposition has seven.
Up Next
Rhode Island plays its Atlantic 10 regular-season finale on Sunday, Oct. 25 when it travels to face George Mason. The match begins at 4 p.m. and will stream on ESPN+.
Â
