By Tara Cangialosi

The Fordham men’s soccer team was back in action this past week in matches against cross-town rival Manhattan College on Wednesday, Sept. 12, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology on Saturday, Sept. 13.

After a scoreless first half in the annual Battle of the Bronx, Fordham netted three second half goals to top the Jaspers 3-1. The win was the seventh straight against Manhattan for the Rams, improving their overall record against their Bronx counterpart to 9-0-1 in the teams’ last 10 meetings.

“Getting wins against Lafayette and then Manhattan were huge for us,” senior goalkeeper Sean Brailey said. “Being able to come back after a long weekend on the road and respond with two wins at home really got some belief and energy back into the team.”

The first half of the game was slow, with neither team controlling the possession or getting any significant opportunities. Several fouls were committed and free kicks were given, but none were converted for goals.

Just seven minutes into the second half, Fordham got a break following sophomore defender Andy Hickey’s corner. Manhattan’s goalkeeper, Alex Coates McDowall, fumbled the ball as it came across the field, parallel to the goal line. His attempts to retrieve the ball were futile, as the Rams’ sophomore forward Jon Agostino finished the ball into the back of the net, putting Fordham ahead 1-0.

Manhattan’s comeback attempt was stunted eight minutes later, when freshman Joe Hulme was red carded and sent off the field, leaving the Jasper’s down a player for the remainder of the game.

In the 73rd minute, the Rams took advantage of their extra player. Hickey sent another sailing cross from the corner, this time headed by freshman Matthew Lewis. The ball was deflected, and the Rams’ senior forward and goal-scorer, Andrew Penfold, finished the shot with an easy tap-in, putting Fordham up 2-0.

Just when the Rams thought they had won, Manhattan scored a penalty kick two minutes later, due to a Fordham handball in the box, bringing the margin back to one goal.

However, it was Penfold who solidified the win for the Rams. In the 78th minute, he cut the ball to the middle of the field and dribbled toward the net. From 25 yards out, he rocketed a strike to the right of Manhattan’s keeper, finishing the shot beautifully.

The Rams held the Jaspers for the remainder of the game, ultimately winning 3-1. In the process, Penfold became the first Fordham player to have two multi-goal games in the same season, since Brian Borrhello registered three in 2002.

“As the season progresses, I hope to continue to improve my in-game fitness and chemistry with my teammates,” Penfold said of his own play. “Apart from that, my main concern is helping the team be successful.”

Three days later, the Rams looked to bring the same energy to Newark, New Jersey, where they would face the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).

After a long game and two overtime periods, during which neither team would score, the Rams managed to tie the Highlanders 1-1. With the tie, both teams move to 2-2-1 on the year.

“The effort against NJIT was great,” Brailey said. “They ended up tying the game, but the guys battled for the entire 110 minutes we had to play.”

Though Penfold did not score, he did set up the goal that would put Fordham ahead 1-0 in the 29th minute. With a perfectly placed pass through the left side of the box, Penfold hit a running Jannik Loebe, a freshman, who finished the score with his first goal as a Ram.

“Scoring my first goal for Fordham was a great feeling,” the German-born Loebe said. “The way of playing soccer here is different than in Germany… but with every training session and match it’s getting better.”

The Rams almost had it won until the 80th minute, when the Highlanders’ Marko Drljic headed in a cross to even the score.

Though both teams scrambled for a goal in the remaining minutes, and into the two overtime periods, neither could find the back of the net, much to the credit of both teams’ goalkeepers, Brailey for Fordham and Foust for NJIT.

Despite the tie, the match was a positive showing for the Rams, and they will need to bring the same offensive energy and urgency in the upcoming games.

“On Wednesday (against Temple), we just have to go in with the same attitude and belief we’ve had these past games,” Brailey said. “We know if we play to our fullest potential it will be hard to beat us.”

The team’s next game is on Wednesday, Sept. 17, when the Rams will host Temple University on Jack Coffey Field at 4 p.m.

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Tara Cangialosi is the Web Editor for The Fordham Ram.