Spring Break
Rams trample lady Jaspers
Jim Thayer
Issue date: 9/23/08 Section: Sports
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Right from the beginning, the Rams seemed to be in control. They out-shot Manhattan 9-4 in the first half, turning three of those shots into goals. The first goal came eight minutes into play as Kassandra Spitler set up an assist to Stephanie Santos, who was waiting in the box. Santos' shot hit the lower right corner of the net, giving the Rams their first goal.
Manhattan threatened a few times in the first half, but Rhode Island stayed in control, especially with great stops by goalkeeper Jackie Fede. Erese Fair gave Rhode Island some breathing room with two assists, first to Adrienne Ruhe Lischke, quickly followed by a corner kick that lead to a goal by Agnes Arnadottir. As the first half came to a close, the Rams had a comfortable 3-0 lead against a very competitive Manhattan team.
The second half started off very similar to the first. Manhattan threatened early, but the Rams' defense did not let up, keeping the lead and the shutout alive. Fair continued to show her presence on offense. Sixty-five minutes into the game, Fair got another assist as she passed to Courtney David who shot it past Manhattan goalkeeper Alyssa Bachowksi.
Frustration rose from the Lady Jaspers, and there was a small scuffle between Caroline Morse for Manhattan and Courtney Findlen for the Rams. Neither side was penalized, as referee Craig Roberts calmed both of the women down before any more tensions flared. With less than 10 minutes left in the game, Fair scored a goal after a goal kick was blocked, and no more than two minutes later Becca Fish scored Rhode Island's sixth and final goal after an assist from May Kate Krol.
Coach Zac Shaw said that his goal was to be at least .500 going into conference play, and that's exactly what his team accomplished Sunday against Manhattan. When asked what this win meant for his team, he said, "It's not just the win, but how we're playing. Our performance has been better, and we've done a better job finishing plays." They certainly did, turning 16 shots on goal into 6 goals. If they can continue this type of offense, it will be huge in conference play.
The Rams' next game will be Friday at 7 p.m. against Saint Joseph's, where they hope to improve to 5-4-1, and keep their winning streak alive, going for their fourth win in a row.
