MEN’S SOCCER
The Rams battled 9 th-ranked Maryland to a 2-2 tie last Friday night in the team’s fi nal tuneup before the regular season begins this Friday. Matthijs Maruanaya (Alkmaar, Netherlands/William Blaeu) and Gerson Dos Santos (Sao Paulo, Brazil/E.E. Ruth Cabral Troncarelli) scored goals for VCU while Otavio De Luca (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Joao Paulo) registered an assist.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Stephanie Power (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia/Dartmouth) scored two goals, Rebecca Zimmerman (Arlington/Wakefield) had an assist, and goalie Emily Niman (Pittsburgh/Fox Chapel Area) pitched a shutout in a 2-0 win in an exhibition game with Longwood. The Rams out-shot the Lancers 20-1 in the victory. VCU starts the reguar season this weekend in Philadelphia at the Villanova tournament.
IN OTHER SOCCER NEWS
Men’s and women’s goaltender coach and Richmond Kickers keeper Ronnie Pascale was named USL-2 goaltender of the year. Pascale finished the season with a GAA (goals against average) of .684 while earning 12 nets and nine shutouts while in goal. Pascale helped lead the Kickers to the USL-2 championship game on Saturday night, where they fell to the Harrisburg City Islanders in penalty kicks.
VOLLEYBALL
The Rams are off to a shaky start in 2007 after dropping two games at the Virginia Tech tournament over the weekend. The Black and Gold dropped its season opener on Friday to the host team 3-1. Laryssa Goncalves (Curitiba, Brazil/Colegio Dom Bosco) starred in the loss, setting a career high with 34 digs. On Saturday, Marshall came back from a 2-1 defi cit to defeat the Rams 3-2. Jessica Ojukwu (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Colegio Dourado) recorded 15 kills while Goncalves had 28 digs in the loss.