FINAL: VCU 1, Fordham 0 (Sports Backers Stadium – Richmond, Va.)

RECORDS: VCU (7-4-1, 2-0-0 A-10), Fordham (3-7-3, 1-2-1 A-10)

VCU STARTERS: #18 Kruse (GK), #2 Krasko, #7 Kunz, #8 Conrad, #9 Wojcik, #10 Cressy, #19 Ernest, #32 Boyer, #33 Johansen, #35 Gogolin, #37 Moik

FORDHAM STARTERS: #13 White (GK), #3 Natale, #4 Dougherty-Howard, #8 Carballeira, #9 Swift, #11 Canicatti, #14 Widmann, #16 Nowakowski, #23 Solimine, #26 Lahcanski, #27 Bates

THE BASICS:

• Sophomore Jackie Ernest scored off a corner kick in the seventh minute and it was all VCU needed as the Rams posted their second straight shutout with a 1-0 victory over Fordham Friday night at Sports Backers Stadium.
• VCU, which remains unbeaten in Atlantic 10 play at 2-0-0, posted its fourth shutout in its last six games.
• The Rams, who extended their unbeaten streak to seven matches, are 6-0-1 since Sept. 8.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• VCU struck first early in the seventh minute when Ernest headed in a corner from senior Taryn Cressy.  Cressy lofted the ball from the right corner into the middle of the box, where Ernest snuck a header past a Fordham defender and to the right of goalkeeper Ally White to put the Rams ahead 1-0.
• Kelsey Dougherty-Howard tried to even the match 11 minutes later when she fired a free kick from about 22 yards out but VCU sophomore keeper Emma Kruse punched her offering over the crossbar.
• Sophomore Sharon Wojcik nearly extended VCU's lead in the 22nd minute when took a feed from junior Maren Johansen at the top of the box and fired a shot that drilled the far post.  The deflection stayed put right around the goal line before White was able to corral the loose ball.
• Johansen fired a shot from right side of the box with less than four minutes left in the first half but White came up with her first stop to keep it a one-goal game at intermission. 
• Widmann had a look in the 76th minute but Cruse made her second save of the match.   
• Senior Jessie Krasko fired a long strike for the right wing that just missed the far post in three minutes later.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Ernest scored her second goal of the season and first game-winning tally.
• Cressy notched her first assist of the year.
• VCU held a 12-5 advantage in shots and a 9-4 margin in corner kicks.
• Senior Courtney Conrad and Cressy fired a game-high three shots apiece, while Johansen and Krasko collected two each for VCU.

QUOTABLE:
"We will take the win.  It was not our finest performance, but the conditions played to a sloppy environment.  We were forced to be a little more direct today which isn't exactly our style.  We had to adapt.  

"I would have liked to see the second goal go in, I am not sure how physics did not allow it to.  To hold onto a one goal lead the whole ninety is frustrating and frantic at times, but our defense looked good today.  They played sharp and did a good job staying stable in the back.

"Today is a good win, a good three points.  We turn our focus to La Salle on Sunday. They are a good side; we will be up for it and will play with more intensity."
-VCU Head Coach Lindsey Vanderspiegel 

WHAT'S AHEAD: VCU remains at Sports Backers Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 13 when it hosts La Salle at 2:30 p.m.  The Rams then begin a stretch of three straight road matches.