User:Quidster4040/sandbox/VCU Rams men's soccer seasons/2001

The 2001 VCU Rams men's soccer team represented Virginia Commonwealth University in all NCAA Division I men's college soccer competitions, during the 2001 NCAA Division I men's soccer season. It was the team's 24th season of fielding a varsity soccer team on the Division I level and altogether. It was also the Rams' seventh season in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Although the Rams had regular season struggles, the team managed to qualify for the 2001 CAA Men's Soccer Tournament, reaching the championship match for the third time in five years. Despite reaching the final, VCU ultimately lost by a 1–0 scoreline to James Madison in the final. Despite reaching the CAA final, the team did not earn an at-large berth into the NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Tournament for the second-consecutive year.

Review
The VCU Rams began the 2001 campaign with five matches at home, accumulating a winning record of 3–1–1. The first two matches resulted in a sizable victory and an extra time loss, respectively. The opening fixture, played on August 31, 2001, saw the Rams post a 3–0 victory over Adelphi in the two sides' first ever encounter in college soccer. The second match that weekend, resulted in an extra time 2–1 loss to Seton Hall.

On September 7, 2001, the Rams played Northern Kentucky for the third match of the season. The game, ended in a lopsided scoreline, with VCU outscoring Northern Kentucky by 10 goals, with the match ending 11–1, making it to date the largest victory and the most goals scored by the men's soccer team in program history. The following weekend, VCU tied Bradley 0–0, before going on a two match win streak against Coastal Carolina and cross-town rivals, Richmond.

After the two-match winning streak, the Rams went on to lose their next four fixtures, three against ACC opponents and one against long-time NCAA powerhouse in college soccer, Furman. During the four match skid, the Rams conceded seven goals and failed to score.

Match reports
Matthew Delicate (Roman Otten) Matthew Delicate (Cory Greiner) Randy Ugarte (unassisted) Gonzalo Segares (Gilberto Bejarano)
 * October 17, 2001     at Coastal Carolina      W 3-2   OT  6- 5- 1   1- 0- 0    185  Matthew Delicate (unassisted)
 * October 20, 2001 at Old Dominion            2-2  TO2  6- 5- 2   1- 0- 1         Gonzalo Segares (Roman Otten)
 * October 24, 2001 at UNC Wilmington        W 1-0       7- 5- 2   2- 0- 1    109  Randy Ugarte (Roman Otten)
 * October 27, 2001    HOWARD                  1-2 L     7- 6- 2   2- 0- 1    138  Matthew Delicate (Carlos Garay)
 * October 31, 2001    AMERICAN                1-3 L     7- 7- 2   2- 0- 1    167  Gonzalo Segares (Gilberto Bejarano)
 * November 3, 2001    WILLIAM & MARY          2-3 L OT  7- 8- 2   2- 1- 1    702  Matthew Delicate (Roman Otten)
 * November 7, 2001    GEORGE MASON            1-2 L     7- 9- 2   2- 2- 1    141  Matthew Delicate (Carlos Garay)