Fordham Men’s Soccer has had a busy schedule this season, and their last three matches were all hard-fought matches. Competing against the University of Massachusetts (UMass), Duquesne University and Princeton University, the Rams drew in all three matches for the week.
Two weeks ago, the Rams faced off against the UMass Minutemen on Senior Night. The team honored more than a dozen graduate students and seniors in their final year with the program. The Rams have been battling in the Atlantic 10 to try and secure a playoff berth, and with a big draw against the Minutemen, they were one step closer to postseason play.
Senior Florian Deletioglu scored Fordham’s lone goal on Saturday, giving the Rams an early 1-0 lead in the seventh minute of action. It would mark the Munich-born player’s seventh goal of the season, leading the team. Also, with that goal improves to third overall in the A-10 in terms of goals.
Graduate student Kai Griese, who assisted on the goal, recorded his team-leading fourth assist of the year, as he delivered a corner kick into the box.
UMass outshot the Rams, 15-12, including a 4-3 edge in shots on goal.
Fordham led for a majority of the match, holding onto a 1-0 lead until the 75th minute. It was then when UMass’s Nick Zielonka equalized it, scoring his fourth goal of the season.
The Rams weren’t able to push past that lone goal, resulting in a draw to wrap up the week for them. Fordham then had a well-deserved break after that before gearing up for their next match this past week against Duquesne.
In terms of the actual game, it was a hard-fought battle for the Rams as they trailed for almost the entire game. While Fordham outshot and recorded more set piece opportunities, they weren’t able to find the back of the net until the 85th minute. Sophomore Daniel D’Ippolito tallied a career-high seven shots, three of which were on goal.
Deletioglu recorded four shots, and right behind him, graduate student Louis Lehr totaled three.
In goal, senior Carter Abbott played all 90 minutes. Abbott also took home A-10 Defensive Player of the Week last week for his efforts. Against Duquesne, he made one save on his way to his sixth draw of the season.
Due to the result, the Rams have secured a spot in the Atlantic 10 Championship, St. Bonaventure University will not be able to tie the Rams at 11 points with one game remaining. The tournament features eight of the top teams in the A-10.
In addition, the Rams wrapped up their home games at Moglia Stadium without conceding a single game.
In their last non-conference game of the regular season, the Rams faced Princeton on the road Tuesday night. Both teams were itching to get on the board first, as both teams struck in the first 15 minutes of the match.
Fordham jumped to action with graduate student Sigfus Arnason sinking a shot high to the top right corner of the net to make it 1-0 in the 9th minute of play. Answering right back was the Tigers’ Daniel Ittycheria who rebounded a save from Abbott, mimicking Arnason and sending it to the same spot.
From then on the game went back and forth in terms of opportunities, but yet no side could find it in them to push past one goal. As the first half ended, things got much more physical, with Deletioglu receiving a yellow card.
Both teams would score another goal in the second half, but once again could not get the advantage.
Kicking off things in the second half, the Tigers’ Walker Gillespie sent one to the upper center of the net past Abbott in the 73rd minute.
While it was looking as if Fordham would be dealt a loss, in the last three minutes of play Lehr assisted on a goal scored by senior Grady Kozak, who was able to slot it right past the Princeton goalkeeper.
The Rams held their ground for the last two minutes, resulting in their third straight tie.
Now, they have one regular season match left on the season as well as their last A-10 matchup against Loyola University Chicago on the road. They’ll take to the pitch on Saturday at 3 p.m. before making a trip to the Atlantic 10 Championships starting Nov. 4.
