User:Quidster4040/sandbox/VCU Rams men's soccer seasons/2011

The 2011 VCU Rams men's soccer team represented Virginia Commonwealth University during the 2011 NCAA Division I men's soccer season. For the Rams, it was the 32nd season fielding a varsity soccer program, and their 17th in the Colonial Athletic Association.

The team was led by second year head coach, Dave Giffard, a former assistant for the Akron Zips. Giffard, in his first season, managed the team to second place in the Colonial Athletic Association during the regular season, before losing in the semifinals of the CAA. Despite a better conference and overall record in conference and overall play, the Rams finished in a joint-tie for sixth place in the CAA with Georgia State. The Rams, though, missed the CAA Tournament for the third time in four seasons due to losing the first tiebreaker, which was head-to-head record. Consequently, the Rams were the only men's soccer team in the nation with both a winning conference and overall record to not qualify for their conference tournament.

On August 26, the Rams opened up their regular season with a 4–1 home victory against Navy, and they will conclude the regular season on November 4 at Delaware.

July
Managed by newly appointed head coach, Dave Giffard, the Rams were able to qualify for the Colonial Athletic Association tournament for the first time since 2007. Additionally, the Rams finished with a CAA record of 5-2-4, strong enough to finish second in the regular season standings. It is Giffard's second season coaching the team as they try to build upon a runner-up title in the CAA regular season.

On July 6, the university announced the men's soccer schedule for 2011, which included the season opener against Navy on August 26. The team was to play every other college in its conference once, varying either at home or away, tallying for 11 matches. Including tournaments, the Rams were to play a total of eight non-conference games, two of which during the regular season.

August
On August 15, the CAA coaches poll predicted VCU to finish second in the regular season, behind ODU and ahead of William & Mary.

The Rams began their 2011 campaign at home against the Navy Midshipmen, defeating them 4–1 in the process. While there was speculation that the match may be postponed due to severe weather from Hurricane Irene, the match was still scheduled on time. Yoyo Mwila scored two goals for the Rams coming late in the match. Three days later, the Rams continued their winning streak with an extra time, golden goal victory over Georgetown, winning 1–0. Assisted by Yoyo Mwila, Juan Arbelaez scored the match-winning goal.

September
In the team's first match of September, the Rams played their crosstown rivals, the Richmond Spiders. The match, in part of the annual VCU Soccer Tournament was played at Sports Backers Stadium on September 2. In the first half, the Rams dominated possession, outshooting the Spiders 8–1 in the first half. However, the Spiders took the lead thanks to a brace from Spencer Schiff in the 47th minute of play. In the 61st minute of play Rams strikers, Juan Arbelaez hit a shot that the Spiders' goalkeeper, Thomas Hand, could not hold on to leading to VCU midfielder, Juan Monge Solano, drawing the match at 1–1. Six minutes later, Garrett Harvey would convert a corner kick from Nick Rich to give the Rams the game-winning goal, and an undefeated 3–0–0 record.

Two days later, the Rams closed out the tournament winning 4–0 over Elon.

Following the team's 4–0–0 start, in the NSCAA Coaches Poll, the Rams were ranked sixteenth in the nation, being one of only two Colonial Athletic Association teams to be nationally ranked. It was the first time since 2004 the Rams were ranked inside the Top 20 by the NSCAA. Additionally, Soccer America Magazine ranked VCU twenty-second in the nation.

On September 9, VCU defeat USC Upstate 4–0 to begin the Coastal Carolina Tournament. The win improved their record to 5–0–0, their best start since 2003.

After winning their first five matches, the team would lose their next four matches consecutively, the first two being extra time loses. The Rams lost 2–1 in extra time to Coastal Carolina and University of Alabama, Birmingham on September 11 and 15, respectively. The loses dropped VCU in the NSCAA National Rankings from sixteenth to twentieth. After a September 18 loss to Gardner-Webb, the Rams fell out of the rankings.

In their first conference game, on September 24, VCU lost 2–1 to Northeastern.

October
The first two matches of October were against two of the Rams' largest rivals, the George Mason Patriots and the Old Dominion Monarchs. On October 2, following a four match skid, the Rams ended the losing streak with a 1–0 win at home to the Patriots. The match-winning goal came in the 72nd minute from Yoyo Mwila. The win was also the Rams' first conference win of the season.

Four days later, on October 5, the Rams traveled to Norfolk to take on the Monarchs, who were at the time ranked 20th in the nation. The Monarchs posted a 4–0 at home to the Rams, making it the largest defeat the Rams suffered of the season.

After the loss at ODU, the Rams traveled northbound to take on CAA minnows, Hofstra Pride for an October 8 fixture. The Rams posted a 3–0 victory, making it their largest road victory of the season since their match against Coastal Carolina. Despite the three goal advantage, head coach Giffard expressed dissatisfaction that it took till the 76th minute of play for the opening goal to be scored.

Upon the two-match CAA road swing, the Rams played at home against James Madison Dukes, who were at the top of the CAA table prior to the match. The Dukes, having one of their strongest seasons in program history, had yet to lose a conference match. Goals from Jason Johnson and Yoyo Mwila resulted in an eventual 2–1 home victory. On October 15, the Rams faced the William & Mary Tribe, in front of a crowd of 987 spectators, the largest home crowd for the Rams of the season. Despite two shots that hit the post from VCU's Nick Rich, the Rams fell 1–0 to the Tribe.

On October 28, the Rams played at High Point University and lost 3–2. The match was on televised live on Fox Soccer Channel making it the first time in history the Rams were televised on national television.

November
Needing a full three points against Georgia State, the Rams fell 1–0 to the Panthers with only 10 men. They then won 3–1 against Delaware to close out the season.

Roster
As of July 20, 2011

Statistics

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