It was a tale of two halves at the university’s Rose Hill campus on Sunday, as the Fordham women’s soccer team gave up two second half goals to fall to the Saint Joseph’s University (SJU) Hawks, 2-1. The loss put a damper on the Senior Day festivities and has jeopardized the team’s postseason outlook with just two regular season games remaining.
The Rams entered the contest with a 2-3-3 record, on the edge of Atlantic 10 (A10) playoff contention. Their opponent sat just three points ahead of them and a win on Sunday would have shot Fordham up the standings to secure their spot in the top eight.
The first major chance of the game arrived when Caroline Monahan, Gabelli Graduate School of Business (GGSB) ’24, sent a swinging cross into the box during the sixth minute. Cianna Elmazaj, GGSB ’24, got a head on it and sent the ball toward the net, but the shot lacked power and was gathered by keeper Katie Cappelletti, SJU ’24.
Saint Joe’s created a dangerous opportunity of its own in the 14th minute, when a corner kick found an unmarked Hawk. The ensuing header hit directly into a Fordham player positioned on the inside post who cleared the ball away from danger. Still, Fordham applied the majority of the offensive pressure in the first half. It took 11 shots to the Hawks’ 3, including five on goal.
The ice was finally broken when Fordham capitalized on a corner kick of its own. A chaotic series of bounces after the cross by Monahan led to a desperate header followed by a kick by Abby Doyle, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill ’25. The ball squeezed along the right post and hit the back of the net before the Hawks could register what had happened. Just like that, Fordham took a 1-0 lead.
Monahan nearly added to the lead in the 32nd minute when she broke through the St. Joe’s defense for a breakaway opportunity. She was forced to shoot prematurely as defenders closed down on her and Cappelletti secured the attempt.
Hanrahan sent a slow but well-placed shot into the bottom left corner and Mensah was caught on her heels, not even attempting to save it.
As time expired in the first half, Emily Hanrahan, SJU ’27, sent a shot toward Fordham’s net from well outside of the box. The ball surprisingly sailed directly for the crossbar, forcing Serena Mensah, Fordham College at Rose Hill ’24, to make a leaping save. With that, the Rams entered the half maintaining a crucial lead.
The Hawks emerged from the half looking like a new team. Only three and a half minutes into the second half, Saint Joe’s made its move. The play started with a free kick by Cappelletti deep in the Hawks’ half of the field. The ball connected with another player who then chested it down to a teammate and delivered a picturesque through ball to Hanrahan. She sent a slow but well-placed shot into the bottom left corner and Mensah was caught on her heels, not even attempting to save it.
As Fordham struggled to build back its momentum in the second half, Saint Joe’s maintained its pressure. In the 67th minute, the Hawks sent a cross into Fordham’s box. The ball rattled around until it fell to the feet of Hanrahan once again. She took advantage of some space and fired a shot into the bottom right corner of the net. The Rams fell behind their conference foes, 2-1.
The Rams would only receive a handful of chances to level the match the rest of the way. One of those chances came in the 76th minute when a beautiful pass upfield from Emily Crocco, GGSB ’24, fell to the feet of Monahan in between multiple defenders. She broke away into the Hawks’ box, but shot the ball directly into the hands of a charging Cappelletti.
The final opportunity for the Rams occurred with around three minutes left. A foul by Chloe Khelil, SJU ’24, gave Fordham a free kick on the penalty arc. Monahan lined up a shot and sent it for the upper right corner of the goal, but a diving stop by Cappelletti put the Rams’ hopes of an equalizer to bed. The late push was not enough and Fordham fell 2-1.
The women’s soccer team now sits in 10th place in the A10, with the top eight teams qualifying for the playoffs. They trail eighth place Loyola Chicago by only two points and will be facing Virginia Commonwealth University, the team in ninth place, on Oct. 19. Given their current position, the Rams will not only need to earn points in their remaining two games but also receive some lucky outcomes across the rest of the A10.
Fordham’s final home game will be on Oct. 22 against the University of Massachusetts in a contest that may have decisive playoff implications.
