By Leighton Schneider

Behind two shutouts by Junior goalkeeper Megan Fitzgerald, the Rams opened up Atlantic 10 play with two 1-0 wins over the University of Rhode Island and St. Joseph’s University. The last time the team started 2-0 in A-10 was in 2012.
On a cold and rainy Thursday night, the Fordham Rams opened up against the Rhode Island Rams. Graduate student midfielder Jessica Widmann scored her eighth goal of the season and Fitzgerald made two saves.
Fitzgerald was tested early on in the match. A Rhode Island forward got past the defense and shot a ball across the goal, but Fitzgerald was able to dive and corral the ball.
Head coach Jessica Clinton thought her goalkeeper came up big again.
“She was solid,” said Clinton. “She didn’t really have much to do, but she kept the ball out the back of the net and that’s what matters.”
Red-shirt senior forward Kristina Maksuti had the first chance for the Fordham Rams in the 17th minute. Junior defender Nicole Bates sent a cross into the 18-yd box, where Maksuti headed toward goal 11 yards from the net. The Rhode Island Rams’ goalkeeper was able to catch the ball.
Rhode Island was able to test the Fordham defense in the first half, but ended up with only three total shots. However, it turned up the offense in the second half.
In the 51st minute, freshman midfielder Brooke Salmon sent a shot from 15 yards out that glanced off the crossbar.
In the 78th minute, Bates had a header following a Fordham corner kick, but a Rhode Island defender headed the ball off the goal line.
Fordham was able to break the stalemate in the 83rd minute on Widmann’s goal. Junior defender Brianna Blunck started the play by crossing the ball towards sophomore midfielder Carlie Wagner. Wagner passed the ball off to Widmann, who took two touches before firing a shot into the upper right hand corner of the goal.
Clinton thought that winning this game was a big relief for her players.
“The girls were feeling a little bit tense,” she said. “They played a little bit safe and a little bit timid because they have pressure on themselves to be successful. I think this win gives them a little extra confidence moving forward.”
They were able to keep that confidence going on Sunday when Fordham ventured down I-95 to face St. Joseph’s in Philadelphia. They came away with their second 1-0 shutout in four days, with Wagner scoring her second goal of the season and Fitzgerald making four saves for her fifth shutout of the year.
The game featured two of the top ten teams in NSCAA Division I Women’s Mid-Atlantic region with St. Joseph’s at eight and Fordham at 10.
Wagner’s goal came in the 50th minute. Widmann had the ball near the right post and found a Wagner player, who fired it into the open net.
Clinton was happy to see something they worked on earlier in the week manifest itself on the field.
“I thought it was great,” said Clinton. “It’s something we practiced this week, as far as getting wide to be able to drive a ball across the box.”
Near the end of the game, St. Joseph’s sent all ten players forward, to try to even the score, but the Rams defense held firm. Fitzgerald was able to handle the pressure, including a late point blank chance by the Hawks in the 87th minute.
“I thought our players adjusted really well,” said Clinton. “They handled the pressure, the balls being thrown at them. It was a good day from back to front.”
Fordham moved to 8-3-0 on the year, the program’s best start through its first 11 games. The Rams have let in one goal or fewer in nine of their 11 games, with seven shutouts this season.
Widmann leads the A-10 with eight goals and 18 points.
Fitzgerald is second in the A-10 with goals against average of .78 and a save percentage of .841.
The Rams will travel down to Richmond, Virginia to face off against Virginia Commonwealth on Thursday at 7 p.m.