VCU split its season opener, falling 0-1 to University of North Carolina on Sept. 2 but manhandling Monmouth University 3-1 Sept. 4 at the Nike/Alltel Classic tournament at Sports Backers Stadium.
Preseason All American, Hermann Trophy notable and 2004 Colonial Athletic Association player-of-the-year Dominic Oduro (Accra, Ghana) was limited to a single shot on goal for the tournament by stifling defense.
But he opened up the field for some of his teammates, including sophomore Pat Viray (Reston/ South Lakes High School).
“It’ll give me a chance to surprise a lot of teams. They don’t know me yet,” said Viray, who found the back of the net against the Hawks.
Head coach Tim O’Sullivan said VCU needs to improve its ball handling to set up the forwards with good opportunities.
With two top 20 NCAA teams seeking an auspicious start to the season, the Rams and Tarheels were each scoreless on their first four shots in the first half.
VCU goalkeeper Rob Szymanik (Hillsboro N.J.) made two saves, while UNC’s Ford Williams was less occupied as his defenders forced the Rams into wide shots.
“They did an excellent job of pressing us defensively,” O’Sullivan said. “We gave the ball away in bad spots.”
VCU’s shooting improved in the second half, with six shots by Viray, Ebo Stephens (Accra, Ghana), and Oduro. UNC topped that with 10, including the game-winner by midfielder Dax McCarthy.
The decisive goal that came in the 51st minute surprised both Szymanik and McCarthy. As UNC built a play on the right side, David Boole held the ball for a moment before firing a shot he expected to hit the post.
By “skill or a bad touch, luckily it went over the keeper’s head,” McCarthy said.
Crowded in the box, Szymanik said he didn’t see the ball coming.
The Tarheels kept heavy pressure on the Rams for 10 minutes in the middle of the second half, but the Rams found a second wind in the final six minutes. Stephens rolled a shot into Williams with 1:36 remaining.
In the final possession, the ball flew to Viray, who didn’t have time to get a shot off.
“A lot of times when balls come through a pack like that, you can’t get your body arranged or your feet arranged,” O’Sullivan said of the last second chance.
Viray added, “we had to match their intensity. We did most of the game and it didn’t pay off.”
Monmouth goalkeeper Art Satterwhite halted seven shots, but it wasn’t enough as the Rams shut down the Hawks 3-1.
VCU defender Veit Schaidinger (Regensburg, Germany) scored two goals for the Rams on a penalty kick and a header.
Monmouth hemmed in Oduro in the center, but left openings on the flanks which VCU exploited. Defender Ricardo Valverde (San Jose, Costa Rica) had two shots – one more than Oduro – including one that skimmed the top of the net.
In the first half, Monmouth shooters had three shots on goal between the 7th and 18th minutes before cooling down. In the 32nd minute, a handball call gave Schaidinger a penalty kick. Acing the shot, the referee called for a reset and Schaidinger hammered in the second shot as well.
VCU increased the intensity in the second half, firing off 12 shots while limiting Monmouth to four. Viray made an unassisted goal in the 57th minute, the first of his collegiate career. Monmouth’s Ed Hayden slipped one by goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra (Woodbridge/Osbourn Park High School) four minutes later off of an assist by Tom Gray.
Schaidinger headed in Stephen Shirley’s (Carrollton, Texas) corner kick in the 70th minute, making as many goals in one game as he registered last season.
The Hawks heavy defense was called for two yellow cards, and tallied 24 fouls to the Rams baker’s dozen.
“We tried to contain Oduro, keeping it compact in the back,” Monmouth head coach Rob McCourt said.
The game was a homecoming of sorts for McCourt, an assistant coach at VCU during the 2002 and 2003 seasons when VCU held the regular season and tournament titles.
“It felt a little weird coming in,” McCourt said, noting that he recruited many of the players lining the Rams roster. “It was a very good experience,” McCourt said of the tournament.
The University of Richmond also split the weekend, making two goals in the final 20 minutes to top Monmouth 2-1. The Tarheels then squashed the Spiders 3-0, taking 14 shots on goal while holding Richmond to none.