Score: VCU 0, Saint Louis 0
Location: St. Louis, Mo. (Robert R Hermann Stadium)
Records: VCU 0-4-4 (0-0-2 Atlantic 10), Saint Louis 3-3-1 (1-0-1 Atlantic 10)
The short story: The Rams and the Billikens combined for 27 shots, 10 of which were on goal, but none of them found the back of the net as this A-10 showdown ended in a scoreless draw.
QUICK FACTS
- The match between the conference rivals was closely contested, and the final team stats show that. Saint Louis ended up with a slight edge in shots at 15-12, but VCU held the advantage in shots on goal at 6-4.
- Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper John Ermini played all 90 minutes in net, making four crucial saves. The Virginia Beach resident recorded his second shutout of 2022.
- Freshman midfielder Moussa Ndiaye and sophomore midfielder Jonathan Kanagwa applied the most offensive pressure on the night, with three shots apiece.
- Seventeen different Rams saw game action in the Gateway to the West.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The first half was mostly a battle for possession in the midfield, as neither the Rams nor the Billikens mustered up a lot of scoring opportunities.
- The match picked up after halftime, with 19 of the match's 27 shots occurring in the second half. The Rams spent much of the early moments of the second half in the attacking third, keeping Saint Louis goalkeeper Carlos Tofern busy.
- The home-standing Billikens turned the tables by possessing and attacking more in the closing minutes, but the Rams defense held strong, capped off by a phenomenal save by Ermini in the 86th minute.
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH DAVE GIFFARD
"Tonight was the best overall performance we've had so far this fall. We took another good step forward after a difficult midweek game vs. ODU where we played very fatigued as it was our third game in six days for the first time this fall. Any time you go on the road in the A-10 and come home with a point, it's a good result, so we'll take it. We'll keep our focus the same and keep trying to improve for another top opponent as FIU visits us on Tuesday."
UP NEXT
The Rams will fly back into Richmond and get ready for a mid-week matchup at home against #21 Florida International on Tuesday, Sept. 27. The action begins at 7 p.m. from Sports Backers Stadium, and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
