HOT, HOT, HOT... That was the word to describe the weather in Richmond, VA this past weekend as well as the play of your Rams! It was an excellent performance in difficult conditions and the boys came through with an effort which would have made you very proud.
It was a long day of travel to Richmond as we left campus at 6:15 am to catch a flight out of TF Green to Baltimore. We arrived and loaded up into vans for the 2 1/2 hour ride south - which reminded us all why it is so nice to live in a small state like Rhode Island. The traffic was nothing compared to what I had experienced in Chicago for 10-odd years but it did make you wonder if you could be a commuter around our Nation's capital. We had a big slow down just outside Washington DC, which ended up being caused by people "rubber necking" at a car that had hit a deer. Will wonders never cease.
We got to Richmond in time to train and shake out the travel cobwebs. We experienced outstanding hospitality from the Richmond Assistant Matt O'Toole (who is a Providence grad) who got us situated on an afternoon where I'm sure he would have rather been home watching college football. After a short session, it was off to our hotel and a nice meal at place called "Vinnies". It was just across the street from the hotel so we were not in a rush and had a nice relaxing meal and tremendous preparation for the match.
The boys were very excited for the game and were up early for their pre-game. It got even more exciting for Coach Stone and myself as we were sitting enjoying the tail end of our breakfast after the players had left when a fire erupted in the toaster. Someone had foolishly put a plastic plate with their toast onto the conveyor and it ignited. There was lots of black smoke and no one in the place seemed to be moving. So, in a move that would make my father-in-law (an ex-fire fighter and Fire Marshall) proud I grabbed and extinguisher in the hallway and proceeded to do my best impersonation of "Firefighter John" as I was tabbed later. Everything ended up being fine but it was just the beginning of our exciting day.
At the match, we started out very well and created numerous chances in the first half. We got several quality chances from Lukasz Tumicz and Kedan Crosby as well as super sub Steve Mellen who had a great week of training prior to the match. Andrew Ruiz added a great spark to the team and gave us some much appreciated flexibility to the line-up. The conditions were tough as the players experience HOT feet from the sun and the fact that the Richmond field turf adds another 10 degrees onto the actual temperature!
Richmond only really threatened once - from a melee in front of the goal after a corner kick - otherwise, Chris Pennock and our defensive unit held strong. It should noted that Kevin Algozer, who had received several stitches from a collision in the UMaine game, did a fantastic job defending Richmond's best attacking player who happened to be a good buddy of Kedan Crosby's from Trinidad.
In overtime, our players looked the fresher of the two teams and only a couple of good saves by the Spider goal goalkeeper and some near misses kept us off the board. I thought we deserved better, considering our performance, but that is the way the game goes sometimes. All in all, I felt that it was a tremendous team effort and great preparation for the beginning of the conference schedule next weekend during homecoming.
Just a last push for Homecoming - which begins next Friday night (October 12th) with our game against Xavier at 6:00 pm and the Rhody Rally and fireworks to follow. Saturday, as noted in earlier game reports, will feature an alumni vs. alumni game at 10:00 am followed by a BBQ at noon in "Rhodyville" (outside Keaney Gym) just prior to the Homecoming Football game versus James Madison.
The cost of Saturday's events is $25.00 person which includes a t-shirt, BBQ, ticket to the football game and help in defraying the cost for our current players. The weekend finishes up with our game versus Dayton on Sunday at 1:00 pm which will be shown locally on Cox Sports television.
So, if you haven't already told us that you are coming, then sort yourself out, drop me an e-mail and get your butt to Kingston. It's going to be a great time!
GO RAMS!
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