Men’s Soccer at #2 North Carolina (9/5/16)
Records: VCU 0-3, North Carolina 3-0
An action-packed first half between VCU and North Carolina saw a total of four goals scored during the period.
After an early goal by North Carolina, VCU evened things up 10 minutes later as Dakota Barnathan scored on a penalty kick in the 18th minute, his first of the season. Each team would score another goal apiece in the first half, but it would be a goal in the 82nd minute by North Carolina that would give VCU a 3-2 loss on the road to the 2nd ranked team in the country.
Lyndsey Moreland would score the other goal for VCU, also his first of the season. North Carolina outshot VCU 13-3 in the first half and held an advantage on corner kicks. A bright spot the Rams can take away from the game is that they had a Shot-on-Goal (SOG) percentage of 63% on the night (5-for-8), their best mark of the season so far.
VCU Volleyball vs. High Point (9/6/16)
Records: VCU 3-4, High Point 5-2
Kandler’s 16 kills leads Rams to Victory in Home Opener
By: James Shumaker
VCU women’s volleyball came out and put on a strong performance in their first match at the Siegel Center this season defeating High Point 3-1 (27-25, 18-25, 25-15, 25-21). The Rams fought back to win the first set after being down on numerous occasions. After letting the second set slip through their fingers the Rams never looked back. VCU was led by three players who had double digit kills. Alica Kandler, the outside hitting junior, led the Rams with 16 kills. Sahbria Mcletchie and Julia Adler followed with 12 and 10 kills respectively. Bekah Strange led the defensive front with 28 digs in the match. VCU now improves to 3-4 on the early season.
Women’s Soccer vs. William & Mary (9/8/16)
Records: VCU 2-3-1, William & Mary 4-2
The VCU Rams had plenty of opportunities to score multiple goals Thursday night with a total of 13 shots on goal. However, the only goal scored in the game by William & Mary’s Sarah Segan gave the Tribe a 1-0 victory over the Rams. Another reason VCU was held scoreless in large part goes to the career night William & Mary goalkeeper Grace Smith had. Smith totaled 13 saves and proved time and time again that she was the best player on the field that night.
In the last 10 minutes, VCU had multiple shot on goals, with the last one being off the crossbar in the 89th minute, the Rams’ last opportunity to take the game into overtime.
The Rams would total 22 shots in all, with 13 of them on goal, while William & Mary only took 9 shots in which 3 were on goal. VCU also took 11 corner kicks, including a stretch in the game where they had four corner kicks in four consecutive plays. Seven Rams took at least two shots. Julia Suarez led the team with five total shots and Megan Dell took four, with all of her shots being on goal.
Men’s Soccer vs. Radford (9/9/16)
Records: VCU 0-4, #18 Radford 4-0
VCU came out the gates quick. The Rams scored early in the second minute with a goal by Francesco Amorosino. However, the 18th ranked Radford Highlanders responded just a minute later. Fraser Coleman headed in a corner kick to tie things at 1-1 early in the game. But after that it was all Radford. VCU gave up three unanswered goals as the Highlanders went on to defeat the Rams by a score of 4-2. Amorosino would score again in the 83rd minute, his second of the game and the season. It was also a tough day for the Rams’ starting goalkeeper Pierre Gardan. He got banged up early in the first half, then proceeded to give up four goals before being replaced by Joseph Rice in the second half.
Radford outshot VCU for the game 12-11, with six of those shots coming in the second half and Radford came away with three corner kicks compared to VCU’s one.
VCU Volleyball vs. College of Charleston at the Col. of Charleston Tournament (9/9/16)
Records: VCU 3-5, Col. of Charleston 4-3
While the Rams were active at the net with Sophomore Tori Baldwin registering eight blocks and teammate Julia Adler notching six, the College of Charleston pulled away late to defeat the Rams 3-1 (25-16, 25-27, 25-21, 26-24) in both teams’ first game in the Charleston Classic Tournament.
By the end of the match, VCU’s front line recorded 14 blocks, and sophomore outside hitter Sahbria McLetchie delivered 16 kills. McLetchie was one of three VCU players to come away with double-digit kills, Adler and Alica Kandler provided 13 kills apiece. VCU freshman setter Tyler Sroufe was a stat sheet stuffer Friday night producing 37 assists, 13 digs, and four blocks for the Rams.
VCU Volleyball vs. Eastern Michigan at the Col. of Charleston Tournament (9/10/16)
Records: VCU 3-6, Eastern Michigan 4-5
Alica Kandler led VCU with 13 kills, but Eastern Michigan got the best of the Rams Saturday morning at the College of Charleston Classic winning the match 3-1 (25-19, 25-16, 24-26, 25-23). Eastern Michigan’s back-line play slowed the Rams offense. VCU was limited to a .103 hitting percentage in the match.
VCU looked to even the match and pulled within 21-20 in the fourth set on a Tori Baldwin solo block. But back-to-back kills by Devon Murray and Alysa Sutton pushed EMU ahead 23-20. Sophomore Sahbria McLetchie squeezed in kills between an Eastern Michigan point to bring VCU within a point, 24-23. However, Sutton put to bed VCU’s chances with her 11th and final kill of the match on the next play.
Kandler posted her third double-double of the season for VCU with 13 digs to go along with the aforementioned 13 kills. She also served up an ace. McLetchie posted 11 kills, nine digs, and four blocks. Freshman Jasmin Sneed contributed four blocks, while Baldwin had three for the match.
VCU Volleyball vs. Charleston Southern at the Col. of Charleston Tournament (9/10/16)
Records: VCU 4-6, Charleston Southern 3-8
Junior Alica Kandler led VCU’s offense with 11 kills in the Rams 3-0 (25-23, 25-14, 25-16) win over Charleston Southern on Saturday. Freshman Jasmin Sneed led the VCU defense with a team and match-high five blocks in VCU’s final game at the College of Charleston Classic.
The Rams never looked back after they gained a 7-3 advantage in the first set. The Rams owned a 6-0 advantage in service aces and their defense at the net helped them gain a 7-2 advantage in blocks over Charleston Southern.
Sophomore Julia Adler recorded nine kills, Freshman Vicky Giommarini contributed nine kills to go along with a career-high 14 digs. Teammate Tyler Sroufe also set a career-high with four blocks during the match.
The Rams return to action on Tuesday, September 13, as they travel to face William & Mary. Game time set for 7 p.m.
Women’s Soccer at American University (9/11/16)
Records: VCU 3-3-1, American 1-7
It took only five minutes into the match for VCU to get onto the board. Tori Burress would knock home her first goal of the season off a one-timer on a pass from Julia Suarez just 1:30 into the game. Three minutes later, Suarez would score her second goal of the season as assisted by Burress, as she sent a through ball into the box for Suarez to send home. Maddi Santos would then add two goals in the game and after that, VCU pretty much was in control the rest of the way winning 5-1.
The Rams took double-digit shots for the second consecutive game, taking 14 shots, with 11 of them on goal and goalkeeper Audrey Sanderson picks up her third win of the season, finishing with three saves in the game.
VCU will return to action this Friday, when they travel to face James Madison University on the road at 7 p.m.
Men’s Soccer vs. #23 Vermont (9/11/16)
Records: VCU 1-4, Vermont 5-1
The VCU Rams took advantage of their scoring opportunities Sunday afternoon, with goals by Eli Lockaby and Jorge Herranz in the 44th and 63rd minute respectively. Also thanks to a strong effort by goalkeeper Pierre Gardan and the rest of VCU’s defense they only allowed one goal, as they defeated the University of Vermont by a final score of 2-1. This was the Rams first win of the season and their first win over a ranked opponent in 2016.
Fortia Munts collected his first collegiate points in the match, collecting a pair of assists. The goals scored by Lockaby and Herranz were their first of the season and Lockaby led the team with shots in the game.
VCU will return to action this Wednesday, September 14 when they travel to Charlottesville to take on the University of Virginia. Game time set for 7 p.m.
