Score: VCU 1, Davidson 0
Location: Davidson, N.C. (Alumni Soccer Stadium)
Records: VCU 1-5-5 (1-0-3 Atlantic 10), Davidson 4-7-2  (1-3-1 Atlantic 10)
 
The short story: Freshman forward Jean-Claude Bile's first half header held up against Davidson's attack to clinch a victory for the visiting Rams over the homestanding Wildcats.   
 
 
QUICK FACTS

• Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper John Ermini posted a shutout between the pipes, securing two saves. It is Ermini's third shutout of the season.
• Bile's 25^th-minute goal is his third of the season and his second in as many games.  He is now the Rams' co-leader in goals, alongside sophomore forward Camilo Comi.
• Freshman midfielder Mouhamed Tucker got credited with the assist on the Bile goal.
• The two teams were very close statistically, including four corner kicks apiece and three Davidson shots on goal to VCU's two.
• With the win, the Black and Gold continue to have Davidson's number, winning six of seven matches since the Wildcats joined the Atlantic 10 in 2014.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first 20 minutes of the match was a feeling-out process, with few good opportunities for either side.
• The Rams broke the scoreless stalemate in the 25^th minute when Bile took the cross from Tucker and headed the ball past Davidson goalkeeper Giacomo Piccardo and into the high center part of the net.
• Davidson did not go down without a fight, peppering the Rams' net with seven shots in the second half, but Ermini and the defense held strong to finish the job.

 
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH DAVE GIFFARD
 
"I'm so proud of the group for continuing to work and stay focused on improving day to day and game to game. As of tonight, we've played the #4 schedule in America after losing 11 starters from a team that spent every week of the season in the top 25 polls last fall. That's a challenge that not many teams can be mentally strong enough to handle, but our guys have taken the challenge head on. Because of that, we've learned so much about what it will take for this group of players to be at the level to compete for a national championship during their cycle of time here at VCU.
 
Although the group has a ton of talent and character, the step up in level and details in what they are used to compared to what the top end of the college game looks like is massive. Because of that, none of these games are going to be easy. Speaking with the team this week, I think we're playing at about 30-35% of this group's capacity and outside of opening night against Marshall, who is one of the 4-5 contenders for the title this year, we could have won, tied, or lost every game we have played. That bodes very well for the future of this group of players if we can keep this mentality, and I have no reason to think that we won't. Tonight, we won more moments and gave ourselves a better chance to come out on top than we did on Wednesday and as a result, we brought home a hard-earned three points to keep us undefeated in the league and keep us in the hunt for all of the best outcomes possible within A-10 play.
 
Every year that we have been in the A-10, conference play comes down to the last night to determine most if not all of the following: which eight teams will be in the tournament, which four teams will host quarterfinals, and which team will win the league. I'm sure this year will be no different as the league is up and with the unbalanced RPI model schedule we have in place, there will continue to be more results that will keep more teams alive for everything."
 
UP NEXT
 
The Rams will look to keep building momentum as they travel to Chapel Hill, N.C., on Tuesday, Oct. 11 for a non-conference matchup against ACC foe North Carolina.  The match is slated to start at 7 p.m., and it will be carried on ACC Network Extra.