Box Score: VCU 1, Davidson 0
Location: Richmond, Va. / Sports Backers Stadium
Records: VCU (2-6, 1-0 A-10), Davidson (4-3-2, 0-1 A-10)
 
THE SHORT STORY: Backed by a dominant defensive performance, Allison Karpovich logged her second consecutive shutout and Y-Van Nguyen provided the decisive 65^th-minute goal to lift the Rams to a 1-0 conference-opening victory over the Wildcats.
 
PITCH SIDE

• Karpovich, reigning A-10 Co-Defensive Player of the Week
• VCU held Davidson to just five shots in the match, outshooting the host 15-5
• A season-high 10 of the Rams' shots were on target, but Emily Smith had a strong performance between the posts for the Wildcats
• Jenna Eller made a career-high five shots for the Rams, pacing the team
• A trio of Rams added three shots on goal each as Eller was joined by Nguyen and Kanna Matsuhisa
• Natalia Santangelo accounted for the other SOG for VCU, drawing a save on one of her two shots in the match
• Nguyen's goal was her first of the season, and Paige Hoeger was credited with the assist
• VCU opens its Atlantic 10 schedule with a shutout win for the second straight year. In 2023, the Rams earned back-to-back shutout victories to open A-10 play when the Rams took down Richmond and George Mason, 1-0 and 5-0, respectively.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The action started early as Davidson's Sophia Whiddon fired off a shot in the 2^nd minute, which was blocked, allowing the Rams to reset
• Nguyen and Carleigh Frilles each returned with shots of their own in the first eight minutes, the former inducing the match's first save
• In the 35^th minute, Davidson made its first shot on goal which was shut down by Karpovich
• Pressing offensively and dominating defensively, the Rams added nine shots before the Wildcats were able to make another attempt in the 67^th minute
• In the 65^th minute, Matsuhisa's attempt was deflected by Smith in goal, but Nguyen picked it up on the rebound, knocking in the game-winner through traffic
• Davidson picked up intensity as the clock wound down, placing a pair of solid attempts in a blocked shot by Dakota Lyons in the 73^rd minute and a last-ditch shot on goal from Maddie Moody for a 90^th-minute save from Karpovich to seal the victory

UP NEXT
VCU returns to Sports Backers Stadium for its conference home-opener at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22, against George Mason.