Non-conference play is officially over for the Fordham women’s soccer team, which means its attention has completely shifted to Atlantic 10 conference play.

Before they could focus on conference opponents for the rest of the year, the Rams faced the Stony Brook Seawolves last Thursday night on Long Island for one final out of conference test. Entering the game, Fordham was 1-5-2, while Stony Brook was 4-3 and each team’s respective conference schedule was set to begin at the conclusion of the contest.

Both teams brought their A game on defense, as neither squad was able to break through and score in the first or second half. Fordham especially did their best to prevent the Seawolves from scoring. Stony Brook accumulated 17 shots, eight of them on goal, and had 10 corner kicks in the entire game.

In overtime, it looked as if a second overtime was inevitable until the unthinkable happened. With only four seconds left on the clock, senior Francesca Lee scored her first career goal for the Seawolves to give Stony Brook the 1-0 shocker victory. She chipped a shot over the head of Rams goalie Kelly LaMorte off of a corner kick and sent the Rams home in disbelief. Prior to the game-winner, the Fordham defense blocked four shots and LaMorte had seven saves on the night.

“I thought we did extremely well up until the goal,” said head coach Jessica Clinton. “Stony Brook caught us in a bad moment which had not happened at all during that game. Our players finished the game frustrated with the outcome as we thought as a whole, we should have won.”

Overall, the Rams went 1-6-2 in non-conference play in what was one of the hardest schedules Clinton could put together for her young team. She still believes her team took a lot away from the challenge, even though it resulted in only one win.

“We found success and goals when we decided to high press teams (Tennessee and Hofstra) and that’s an important part to our defending style,” said Clinton. “We saw it really come together against the last few non-conference teams and certainly saw it against Bonaventure. Lastly, I hope the intensity and physicality of the games made an impact on how our team needs to progress and get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

With the early non-conference schedule behind them, the Rams welcomed the St. Bonaventure Bonnies to Rose Hill for their first A-10 game of the season. It was also Alumni Day for Fordham so many former Rams were in attendance for the team’s first home game in two weeks.

Like Thursday, the Rams and the Bonnies were scoreless most of the game until Fordham was finally able to breakthrough. They put a lot of pressure on the Bonnies defense throughout the second half and in the 85th minute Hope Baisley was fouled in the box. Senior Margaret Roughley took the penalty shot and buried it for the Rams, which turned out to be her first goal of the season. Five minutes later, the final whistle blew and the Rams were victorious, 1-0. With the shutout win, LaMorte picked up her fourth shutout of the year and tied her with Megan Fitzgerald (16) for third most shutouts in program history.

Fitzgerald was at the game to witness the special moment and Coach Clinton was proud to see LaMorte tie with her former teammate.

“Megan and Kelly played together, so in some sort of way, it’s passing the torch and the legacy continues,” said Clinton. “Goalkeeper records are also team records, so I was happy that a lot of our alums were in the stands to see the win. Our players legacy’s are important to us.  We want the players to leave the jersey better than they found it. I think Megan Fitzgerald and her classmates did that and you see it in our current players.”

With the win, the Rams have plenty of momentum heading into the rest of the season and look to carry it for as long as they possibly can.