KINGSTON, R.I. – Junior forward Leon Maric scored for the fifth time in the last six matches, but the Saint Joseph's men's soccer squad came up short to #25 Rhode Island, 2-1, at the URI Soccer Complex on Saturday evening. With the loss, the Hawks fall to 8-7-2 overall (2-3-2 A-10) while the Rams improve to 12-3-0 (5-2-0 A-10). 

Still with eight points in the A-10 standings, SJU drops into a tie for ninth, with Duquesne, with all October 27 matches considered. St. Bonaventure, with a one-goal win over Duquesne in the 90th minute this evening, now has the eighth and final spot with nine points, preceded by Dayton (10 pts), George Mason (12), Saint Louis (12), Fordham (13), Davidson (13), Rhode Island (15), and VCU (16). 

Saint Joseph's will next face Saint Louis (6-3-6, 3-1-3 A-10) in a must-win match this Wednesday, October 31 at home.

Maric scored in the 76th minute, on a brilliant give-and-go initiated by senior defender Eddie McCusker. Maric's team-leading 11th goal of the year is the most a Hawk has scored in a single season since John Sharp scored 12 in 1994. 

Rhode Island outshot Saint Joseph's 23-14 for the match, which included a 15-6 first half.

The Rams took 11 shots in the opening 24:52 before finally hitting the back of SJU's net on its 12th attempt; Edvin Akselsen got the rebound of his own blocked shot and scored to put URI up, 1-0, at the 24:55 mark.

Freshman forward Frantz Pierrot, who subbed in immediately following URI's first goal, put the offensive pressure on with a pair of shots on net in the 36th and 40th minutes, forcing Rams goalkeeper Roger Penske into a pair of saves.

However, URI struck again as Stavros Zarokostas went 1-v-1 against his Hawk defender and went left post at the 42:59 mark. 

Pierrot went for a third shot on goal with 10 ticks remaining until the halftime break, but Penske came up with his sixth save of the half.

The Hawks landed all six of their first-half shot attempts on goal, and senior midfielder Derek MacKinnon had a pair on net in the second half as he and Pierrot combined for five shots, all on goal. 

Freshman goalkeeper Joseph Boehm (8-7-2, 2-3-2 A-10) made seven saves in the full 90:00, while the Hawks also earned a team save in the 19th minute.