Loss could cost Rams tourney berth

VCU lost its fourth-straight game, 3-0, against Northeastern this past Sunday on senior day at Sports Backers Stadium. The loss is costly because it knocked the Rams out of sixth place in the CAA. The top six teams make it to the CAA Tournament. With the loss to Northeastern, the Rams must beat James Madison on Thursday night and need Northeastern to lose to Hofstra, in order to advance to the conference tournament.

The first half was all about missed opportunities for the Rams. They had several chances to score in the first half. VCU had 10 corner kicks in the half and couldn’t convert on any of them. One was saved by the Huskies’ goalkeeper, one was kicked over the net by junior Amanda Adams (Salem/Salem) and VCU couldn’t get the rest past Northeastern’s defense. The missed opportunities came back to haunt the Rams as Northeastern scored in the 25th minute on a direct kick to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead they took into the second half.

The second half went the same as the first. VCU missed scoring chances and the Huskies capitalized on them. The Rams had six more corner kicks in the second half but could not turn them any of them into goals. In the 47th the Huskies’ Veronica Napoli gathered the ball on the left side of the box, made a move past a VCU defender and scored a goal in the top right corner of the net. About 20 minutes later, the Huskies scored another goal on a direct kick to give Northeastern its final tally.

The loss dropped VCU to 4-5-1 in the CAA and 8-9-1 overall.

VCU coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak said the team played good soccer.

“We outplayed our opponent. They had three shots on goal and all three went in. We had 16 corner kicks. We are knocking on their door,” she said.

Despite Sahaydak’s comments about how the Rams outplayed the Huskies, she gave Northeastern the credit it deserved.

“You got to give it up to Northeastern. They were committed defensively and sometimes that’s what it comes down to,” she said.

VCU has scored two goals in the last four games and Sahaydak knows the Rams have to get the offense going.

“We have wonderful attacking personalities. I think it comes back to the mentality and the belief. We have to work hard to create opportunities,” she said.

VCU returns to action Thursday night at James Madison, hoping to secure a place in the CAA Tournament.