Battered Rams beat Patriots 1-0; split weekend games

After having its six-game unbeaten streak snapped by James Madison on Friday, VCU salvaged the weekend by shutting out George Mason 1-0 yesterday in front of 285 on the road.

The Rams’ only goal of the game was the first goal of the season for sophomore defender Hugh Macdonald. Off a free kick from sophomore Samuel Asante, MacDonald poked a shot from about three yards out that got by Patriots senior goalkeeper John O’Hara.

It was the 14th goal allowed by O’Hara this season.

Rams goalkeeper Saul Montero, last week’s Colonial Athletic Association co-Player of the Week for came up with four saves in this third shutout of the season. GMU’s Teba McKnight, who split the award with Montero, was unsuccessful on his game-high six shots.

On Friday, VCU lost its first conference game of the season 3-1 to James Madison, playing its first conference road games with several starters nursing injuries.

Junior midfielder Stephen Shirley and junior defender Ricardo Valverde both sat out this weekend’s games.

Shirley still has to be cleared to play after suffering a head injury in last Sunday’s game against Old Dominion. Valverde’s season may be over after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the same game.

Despite limping off the field last Sunday, sophomore midfielder/forward Ricardo Opoku played both games this weekend, taking six shots against the Dukes and two against the Patriots.

Junior defender Veit Schaidinger also played despite being shaken up after catching an elbow to the head. He took a shot in both of this weekend’s games.

The Rams are now 7-3-1 on the season and 3-1-0 in the CAA. With this loss and another 1-0 loss on Friday to UNC Wilmington, the Patriots fell to 2-2 in the CAA after starting the season with a pair of wins.

The Rams return to Sports Backer Stadium on Friday to play Hofstra, which is still winless in the CAA after being shutout 2-0 by Old Dominion on Sunday.

In other CAA games:

Old Dominion 2, Hofstra 0: Monarchs goalkeeper John Connelly saved one shot in his fifth shutout of the season as the Monarchs beat the Pride to wintheir second straight game. Brian Cvilikas and Ross Mackenzie came off the bench to scor the Monarchs goals. ODU snapped a four-game losing skid by beating Drexel 1-0 on Friday night. Hofstra went winless for the weekend, playing to a 1-1 tie with William and Mary.

William & Mary 2, Drexel 1: Freshman Ryan Overdevest waited until the 83rd minute of 1-1 tie with the Dragons to score the first goal of his career for the Tribe. William & Mary took an early lead when senior Bryan Hinkle scored on a penalty kick in the fourth minute. Timothy Mochan tied the game up in the 27th minute with his second goal of the season. The Tribe is 5-0-0 all-time against the Dragons.

James Madison 2, UNC Wilmington 1: Junior Danny Sheridan’s goal with about 14 minutes left kept the Duke’s unbeaten streak alive and handed the Seahawks their second conference loss of the season. Sheridan’s game-winner came from about fifteen yards out off a throw-in from sophomore Mike Tuddeham with about 14 minutes left. The Dukes have gone 12 games without a loss.

Towson 1, Delaware 0: J.C Coles score from about 15 yards out gave the Tigers their sixth win of the year and their first win in the CAA. Junior goalkeeper Zak Thompson saved three shots in his fourth shutout of the season.

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