George Washington University
<b>RHODE ISLAND</b>
Men's Soccer Eliminated by Rhode Island, 4-1
11/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 6, 2009
WASHINGTON, DC - Senior Hermann Trophy candidate Andy Stadler spotted the George Washington men's soccer team a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute, but Rhode Island netted four unanswered goals to eliminate the Colonials from Atlantic 10 Championship contention with a 4-1 loss at Mount Vernon Field Friday afternoon.
GW (9-8-0, 3-5-0 A-10) can post its third consecutive winning season with a victory or draw in its regular-season finale against Massachusetts at Mount Vernon Sunday at 1:00 pm. The Colonials will honor 11 players prior to their final match at Mount Vernon.
Rhode Island (8-8-1, 5-3-0 A-10) secured a berth in the A-10 Championship, which it will host next weekend, by virtue of its victory and Temple's 1-0 loss to Saint Louis. The Rams have qualified for the past seven and 11 of the last 12 league tournaments.
Sophomore Jake Davis set up Stadler's goal with a 40-yard long-ball service over URI defender Dwayne Williams. Stadler volleyed off the bounce to the lower right corner for his league-lead tying 10th goal of the season. Stadler climbed to a tie for fifth all-time at GW with his 32nd career goal and moved to within a point of sixth all-time at GW with 77 career points (32g/13a).
A pair of fouls late in the first half proved to be costly for the Colonials, as the Rams netted two goals out of set pieces inside the final four minutes of the period to take the lead for good. Andres Ruiz side-volleyed a rebound from 12 yards away out of a free kick from the left wing in the 42nd minute for the equalizer, followed by Williams heading home the game-winner out of a Gary Crooks free kick from the left in the 44th minute.
Rhode Island widened the margin with another set-piece goal in the 62nd minute, with Ruiz doing all the work himself, curling a 25-yard free kick around the GW wall into the upper left corner.
Jamie Eckmayer punctuated the Rams' victory with a goal in the 87th minute, slamming in a cross on the goal line from Thomas Lindross after Franco Lo Presti dispossessed a GW defender near midfield.
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Erik Haug totaled six saves on 18 shots faced, while URI netminder Chris Pennock stopped four of GW's 14 total shots.
