By Leighton Schneider
The women’s soccer team ventured down to South Carolina this past weekend and came away with two wins and the Charleston Cup. They beat The Citadel 5-0 on Friday before beating the College of Charleston 1-0 on Sunday, moving to 4-2 on the year.
Against The Citadel, the Rams were led by graduate students Kate McDonnell, who had two goals and two assists, and Jessica Widmann, who had two goals and one assist.
Widmann opened the scoring in the first minute. McDonnell found her on a flick pass and Widmann found the back of the net for her third goal of the season. Just under four minutes later, McDonnell found Widmann open again. This time the shot rebounded off the goalie and junior Nicol Natale finished to put but Fordham up 2-0.
McDonnell’s career night continued in the 26th and 29th minutes. In the 26th, she found the upper 90 from 35 yards out off of a pass from junior Turner Block. Then, following a free kick by redshirt senior Kristina Maksuti, McDonnell scored off a rebound.
Widmann closed the scoring in the 82nd minute with her fourth goal of the year. She dribbled wide of the eighteen-yard box before chipping it over the goalie.
Junior Megan Fitzgerald started in net and was replaced at halftime by freshman Adaeze Obinelo. Neither goalie had to make a save.
On Sunday, Obinelo got her first career start, but looked like a seasoned veteran in net. The freshman needed five saves in the first half to stop the attack of the Cougars.
Play was halted after the 10th and 79th minutes due to lightning in the area, each delay was 30 minutes.
Maksuti got her second goal of the season off of a set piece. Junior Nicole Bates took a free kick from the right side of the box and Maksuti headed the ball into the center of the goal.
Obinelo finished with six saves for her first career win and shutout.
Before heading down to Charleston, the Rams played four other games. First, at the Maine Tournament, Fordham beat Wagner 2-0 on goals by Jessica Widmann and Kristina Maksuti. It was Maksuti’s first goal in almost two years, following several injuries that took her off the pitch. Two days later, the Rams dropped a 1-0 game to the hosts.
Next up was Manhattan and the Battle of the Bronx. Fordham won 2-0, on goals by sophomore Carlie Wagner, the first of her career, and Widmann. Fitzgerald was in goal and recorded her second shutout of the year. Fordham moved to 2-1 on the year.
The Rams opened their home schedule against Princeton on August 30. Princeton came a away with a 2-1 win. Senior Ivana Lahcanski scored Fordham’s lone goal. It was her first of the year. Fitzgerald finished with seven saves in net.
Following the successful weekend in the “Palmetto State,” the team entered the NSCAA Mid-Atlantic rankings on Tuesday for the second time since 2006. The team is ranked ninth in the region.
Next up for the Rams is LIU-Brooklyn on Sunday Sept. 13, at 1:00 on Jack Coffey Field.
