Score: UNC Greensboro 3, VCU 2
Location: Greensboro, N.C. / UNCG Soccer Stadium
Records: VCU (0-2), UNCG (2-0)
 
THE SHORT STORY
VCU men's soccer dropped a road contest to UNC Greensboro, who appeared in TopDrawerSoccer's national top 25 poll at No. 23, by just a goal on Sunday evening, 3-2. Andrey Salmeron and Kai Feng combined for the Rams' pair of goals.
 
PITCH SIDE

• For the second consecutive year, Salmeron scored the Rams' first goal of the season
• Salmeron's four shots led the team and were second-most in the contest
• Feng found the back of the net for his first career goal
• Freshman Manuel Monteiro made his first career start between the posts
• Preseason All-Conference defender Moussa Ndiaye was credited with the assist on Feng's goal
• Ndiaye was assessed a red card in the 82^nd minute
• Ty Johnson and Fabián Garita each attempted their first shots as Rams
• Five Rams played the full 90 minutes
• VCU outshot UNC Greensboro, 12-8, but the host held the advantage in shots on goal, 5-4
• All three of UNCG's goals were scored by Enzo Dovlo

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Rams conceded a pair of early goals to UNC Greensboro's Enzo Dovlo in the sixth and 10^th minutes, but made a strong stand for the rest of the half, allowing just one other shot
• Deniss Hayes got the offensive charge started for the Rams, opening the second half with a shot on goal in the first five minutes
• In the 55^th minute, VCU finally broke through the Spartans' back line with a dart from outside the penalty box from Salmeron, making it a 2-1 game
• VCU continued to push into UNCG's defensive third, with Mohammed Ibrahim and Ndiaye logging shots
• In the 70^th minute, the Spartans had their third tally of the night, but VCU answered with a goal of their own in the 74^th minute by Feng
• A save by UNCG keeper Seth Wilson saved the host from a draw, robbing Ibrahim's shot on goal in the 80^th minute
• Suffering a tough break in their comeback attempt, the Rams lost Ndiaye to a red card in the 82^nd minute and a last-ditch 90^th minute shot from Lucas White wasn't enough to tie it up for the Rams

 
QUOTABLE
"It was a tough night tonight. With late arrivals and guys who have had knocks we made some changes to how we played to start the game to try to find our best setup moving forward. Unfortunately, it was a bad decision on my part, and we spotted them two quick goals. We righted the ship and started to grow into the game, coming back twice. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough to get it over the line—especially after a questionable red card to [Ndiaye] with 10 minutes to go—but we grew again tremendously and learned a lot tonight. This is going to be a very good team when it's all said and done, it's just going to take a little time for us to get there."
 
UP NEXT
The Rams return will take the pitch again on the road at 7 p.m. on Friday, August 29 against Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va., before returning home for a pair of matches on September 2 and 5 against Campbell and High Point, respectively.