BY JONNY WALKER, SPORTS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR
The St. Bonaventure men’s soccer team lost the final game of its season Saturday against Virginia Commonwealth University, 2-0, capping off a winless season in Atlantic 10 play.
The Bonnies (3-10-3, 0-6-2) and the Rams (3-7-6, 3-1-4) went scoreless through the first half. Two second-half goals propelled VCU to victory.
“In the second half … they got better chances than we did,” said Bonaventure head coach Kwame Oduro.
In the 60th minute, Rams forward Papa Toure, a freshman, drove a free kick 25 yards through a crack in the Bonaventure wall. Bonnies goalkeeper Jules Dechert, a junior, made a diving save, but the ball bounced off his chest to the foot of VCU defender Jared Valdes, a redshirt junior. He chipped the ball over the head of Dechert and into the goal’s top netting.
“The thing that we didn’t want to do … was allow them [VCU] around our box, because their delivery into the box was very good,” said Oduro.
In the 82nd minute, Rams midfielder Andres Rodriguez, a freshman, fired a free kick about 30 yards towards Bonaventure’s near post. Bonnies defender Clay Smith, a redshirt junior, redirected the ball towards his own goal’s top-left corner. Dechert watched as the ball flew past his head, appearing unready for its redirection.
After Saturday’s result, the Bonnies officially failed to win a conference game in a season for the first time under Oduro.
“I guarantee you this: That will never happen again,” said Oduro. “ [We’re] not going to have that many injuries in the season. No way. So I think — if everybody’s back and everybody’s healthy — we can make the playoffs.”
The Bonnies have not made the A-10 Tournament since 2017.
“We need to get in the playoffs,” said Oduro. “Unfortunately, we’re not at that level yet. The last time we were in the playoffs was five years ago. Before that, it was 10 years ago.”
On Tuesday, Bonaventure announced it had parted ways with its women’s soccer head coach, Steve Brdarski. He posted a 1-8-1 record in conference play this season. Oduro said he’s not afraid of being fired despite his team’s finishing last in the A-10.
“All I know is that I will always coach,” said Oduro. “So I’m here to coach as long as they let me. So, yeah, not scared about that.”
Oduro said the uncertainty surrounding coaching hiring-and-firing cycles doesn’t faze him.
“That’s why I chose this job,” said Oduro. “I love it.”
walkercj20@bonaventure.edu
