Spider Sports Recap | Week of Sept. 11

Women’s Soccer

Sept. 14: Loss 1-0 vs. Virginia Commonwealth University

The women’s soccer team opened Atlantic 10 conference play with a 1-0 loss against the VCU Rams. The first 45 minutes went scoreless, as UR was unable to get a shot off, but the Rams attempted eight shots. In the second half of play, VCU scored the first and decisive goal of the game to take a 1-0 lead at 76:10. Senior goalkeeper Taylor Montague recorded 10 saves in 90 minutes of play.

Sept. 17: Loss 3-2 vs. Saint Joseph’s University

The Spiders could not complete the comeback win against the Hawks to mark their third straight loss, the second of conference play. Both teams were unable to score in the first half. The Spiders recorded four shots, and strong defensive efforts kept the Hawks from attempting to score. During the 56th minute of play, Saint Joseph’s opened up the scoring to take a 1-0 lead. Three minutes later, the Spiders tied up the game with a goal from sophomore midfielder Emma Shields, assisted by graduate forward Molly Wierman. UR followed up with another goal in the 61st minute from senior defender Casey Merz, taking a 2-1 lead over Saint Joseph’s. The Hawks scored goals in the 77th and 82nd minutes of play, defeating the Spiders 3-2. Wierman recorded two assists. UR moves to 2-5-3 on the season as they prepare to face off against George Mason University  at 4:30 p.m Sept. 21.

Field Hockey

Sept. 15: Win 3-2 vs. Davidson College

The Spiders won in a thriller matchup against the Davidson Wildcats in a game that was sent into overtime. The Wildcats opened up scoring in the second period, taking a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute of play. UR responded with a goal of their own from senior midfielder Alexandria Lavelle off a penalty stroke, making it a 1-1 game going into halftime. During the third period, the Spiders took their first lead of the game with a goal from first-year midfielder Charly Faherty assisted by sophomore midfielder Jess McMeeking. UR entered the fourth period leading 2-1, but the Wildcats tied things up in the opening minutes, and neither team scored again, taking it to overtime. Sophomore midfielder Alexa Derr sealed the victory for the Spiders, scoring a goal off an assist from Lavelle to win 3-2. UR moved to 4-3 on the season and 1-0 in Atlantic 10 play with the win.

Sept. 17: Win 4-0 vs. the Queens University of Charlotte

The Spiders won their third consecutive game of the season with a 4-0 shutout victory over the Lions. UR attempted 34 shots in the game, 11 coming in the first period. In the 38th second of the game, senior forward Madi Hyatt found junior forward Stevie Drum to take a 1-0 lead. During the 13th minute of play, the Spiders scored another goal, this one by Lavelle, assisted by McMeeking and senior midfielder Kaitlyn Csensits. The Spiders concluded the first 15 minutes of action with a 2-0 edge over the Lions. In the second period, the Spiders scored two more goals. One came from sophomore midfielder Lainey Nichols during the 27th minute, assisted by junior midfielder Annie Nash, and the other from first-year forward Avery Russell, assisted by sophomore forward Olivia Corrato. UR would end the half leading 4-0, which would go on to be the final score. Redshirt sophomore Kristen Rake picked up six saves, and the Spiders tallied 13 penalty corners while holding Charlotte to just five. UR will look to keep their streak rolling for senior day at 12:00 p.m. Sept. 23 against Saint Louis University.  

Football

Sept. 16: Win 38-6 vs. Delaware State University

UR earned its first victory with a commanding 38-6 win over Delaware State. The Spiders opened up the scoring with a 40-yard field goal by redshirt junior kicker Andrew Lopez to take a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. The Hornets tied the game with a field goal in the second, but UR scored three touchdowns to take a 24-3 lead at halftime. Graduate student running back Milan Howard collected a 3-yard touchdown run, redshirt senior running back Savon Smith followed with a 2-yard touchdown run, and junior wide receiver Jerry Garcia Jr. scored on a 56-yard pass from redshirt sophomore quarterback Kyle Wickersham. Lopez completed all three extra-point attempts. The Spiders went scoreless in the third quarter, but in the fourth, redshirt junior wide receiver Nick DeGennaro scored on a 44-yard pass from Wickersham, and redshirt linebacker Wayne Galloway added another 6 to the board with an 81-yard interception. Lopez finished five for five in PATs, and Wickersham was 20-25, picking up 246 yards and two touchdowns. Redshirt senior linebacker Tristan Wheeler tallied his 400th career tackle, ending the game with 403 and moving to sixth all-time for the Spiders. UR will head to New York to matchup against Stony Brook at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 23.

Cross Country

Sept. 15: Adidas XC Challenge

The Cross Country team finished third overall in the Adidas XC Challenge with the women coming in third in the 5k with 81 points and the men coming in fourth in the 6k with 92. Senior distance runners Elizabeth Stockman and Madison Trippett landed in the top 20. Stockman finished in fifth place, recording 17:20.9, and Trippett came in 16th with 17:41.4. For the men’s 6k, three Spiders finished in the top 20. Senior Stuart Terrill started things off for the Spiders with a seventh-place spot tallying 18:11.8. Sophomore Henry Haase followed up with a 10th-place finish recording 18:29.0. Senior Jordan Bendura came in 17th with 18:37.9. UR will race in the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational on Sept. 29 in South Bend, Indiana.

Women’s Golf

Sept. 10-12: Golfweek Fall Challenge

The Spiders finished T-10th of 18 in the Golfweek Fall Challenge with an overall team score of 294. Sophomore Hannah Lydic led the way for UR, with a 10th place finish at 3 over par. First-year Maya Beasley came in 41st, shooting a 10 over par in her first outing as a Spider. Juniors Christine Mandile and Lauren Jones tied for 45th with 12 over par. 

Sept. 16-17: Nittany Lion Invitational

UR ended the Nittany Lion Invitational with a fifth place finish at 31 over par. Lydic placed second at the Invitational, tallying a 4 under par and finishing in the top 10 in back-to-back tournaments. Senior Rory Weinfurther also concluded the invitational with a top 10 finish of her own, shooting 3 over par and placing sixth. Beasley ended in the top 20, tied for 18th with a 10 over par.

Men’s Golf

Sept. 10-12: Golfweek Fall Challenge

The men’s golf team played in the Golfweek Fall Challenge, finishing T-8th of 14. Graduate student Lou Baker led the Spiders with a top 20 finish, recording a 7 under par and tying for 15th. First-year Jack LaPiana tied for 18th, shooting 6 under par. Junior Cole Ekert and Sophomore Drew Carlin tied for 45th for the Spiders, both tallying 1 under par. 

Contact sports writer Anabella Pelaez at anabella.pelaez@richmond.edu.