Score: No. 1 VCU 1, No. 8 Fordham 0
Location: Richmond, Va. (Sports Backers Stadium)
Records: VCU 6-5-5, Fordham 6-4-7
 
THE SHORT STORY: Behind a 74th minute goal by Damian Gallegos, No. 1 VCU Men's Soccer advanced to the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament following a 1-0 victory over No. 8 Fordham on Friday evening.
 
PITCH SIDE

• Gallegos scored his team leading fourth goal to give the Rams the win
• Jonathan Kanagwa assisted the goal, his fourth assist of the season
• John Ermini made the start in goal, stopping four shots to post his fourth shutout of the season
• Andrey Salmeron led the team with four total shots
• Papa Toure, William Hitchcock, Mouhamed Tucker and Kanagwa each added a shot on goal
• VCU outshot Fordham, 12-9, finishing with five shots on goal to Fordham's four

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Ermini made a pair of saves early, stopping shots in the fifth and 11th minutes to set the tone for VCU
• Tucker and Toure each had shots on goal in the 20th and 29th minutes
• When the halftime whistle blew the score sat at 0-0 as things headed into the break
• In the 60th minute Hitchcock ripped a shot on goal as the Rams begun to ask questions of the Fordham defense
• Shortly before VCU's opening goal, Kanagwa nearly sent one home himself on a shot that was saved in the 70th minute
• But only four minutes later, in the 74th minute, Gallegos took two touches after a perfect pass from Kanagwa, sending it home to put the Rams up 1-0
• Ermini would make one more save, in the 81st minute, as the Rams held on to knock off Fordham, 1-0, and advance in the A-10 tournament

UP NEXT: VCU will next host the lowest remaining seed in the A-10 Tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 8 in the semifinal round.