Rams capitalize on home-field advantage

As the cold rain drizzled down upon the field at Sports Backers Stadium Friday night, senior captain Sandra Anger (Cuguen, France) threw her fists down by her side and bellowed with excitement, celebrating her 28-yard game-winning goal.

This display of exuberance encapsulated the intensity of the VCU women’s soccer team as they held on to a 2-1 victory over Old Dominion, lifting the Rams to sole possession of first place in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Anger received the ball after a pass from freshman and CAA rookie of the week Stephanie Power (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia), who also found the back of the net earlier in the game. Standing roughly between the box and the midfield line, Monarch defenders looked on in amazement as Anger blasted a rocket over the head of diving ODU goalie Colby Owen in the 39th minute of play.

Hofstra, who had been tied with VCU atop the CAA before the game, fell to second place in the standings after losing to lowly Georgia State 1-0 in arguably the biggest upset in conference play this season. The victory over ODU lifted the Rams to 8-0-0 in the conference and 10-3-3 overall.

VCU also extended their at-home unbeaten streak to 24 games in a row, registering a tie against William & Mary Sunday.

Co-Head Coach Denise Schilte-Brown said there was a reason for the team’s success at home.

“I think we just come here and play hard and we feel good here,” she said. “And it’s our fans. Our athletic director comes to every game, I don’t know if you noticed, but not a lot of school’s have their AD at the games. We have a lot of support and that’s nice.”

Power opened up scoring in the 29th minute, capitalizing on a pass from Hayley Moorwood (Auckland, New Zealand). Power nabbed her fifth and sixth goal of the season, tied with fellow freshman Pernilla Jansson’s (Enebyberg, Sweden) six, flicking the ball into the net from four yards out.

Led by a strong offensive attack of Hedda Gardsjord (Oslo, Norway), Shelley Lyle (Tampa, Fla.) and Samara Stephen-Dowd (Vienna/ Oakton High School), the Rams defense played tight despite constant pressure throughout the first half and the early second.

The Monarchs only goal of the game came on a direct kick after a Ram penalty committed by Lyle. The Rams set up a decent wall to defend the shot, but keeper Lauren Hardison (Midlothian/Clover Hill High School) was unable to stop the bouncing shot.

Whether it was the weather putting so many players on the ground or the rough style of play from both teams, both Rams and Monarchs spent time gathering themselves off the wet playing surface.

Players from both sides played an extremely physical game, shoving defenders and viciously slide-tackling dribblers. Referee Bill Ditmar seemed to allow a “let ’em play” philosophy, allowing play that looked as nasty as the wet field the women were playing on.

Many Rams at times were not so happy with the officiating or the Monarchs roughhousing.

“Just that they were really, really physical and that ref didn’t call everything, he wasn’t very consistent,” Gardsjord said. “That’s what we get mad at.”

Schilte-Brown added, “it wasn’t the best officiating we’ve had, but I think it was inconsistent going both ways. Does that make it consistent, I don’t know.”

Gardsjord did go on to say a lot of the sentiment was stirred up on the field, and that’s where it stays.

“We always get really emotional on the field and people yell and we’re bad at that, but it’s just the heat of the moment. I think he made the right call anyhow.”

Due to injuries, the Rams were without leading goal scorer Jansson as well as co-captain and defensive leader Jennifer Woodie (Woodbridge/Woodbridge High School).

The Rams tied the Tribe 1-1 Sunday, as Power netted her sixth goal of the season with one second remaining in regulation.

Neither team could score in the overtime periods, but VCU extended its record unbeaten-streak to 10