GREENVILLE, N.C. – Momentum in a soccer game can change with just one bad bounce.

The Virginia Commonwealth University women’s soccer team found that out the hard way in its season opener at East Carolina.

With the Rams leading 1-0 early in the second half and holding all the momentum, a tough bounce off a shot by ECU’s Amanda Malkiewicz led to a goal by Rachel Wechsler and changed the direction of the game and led the Pirates to a 2-1 victory in both team’s season opener.

“We really felt like we controlled the majority of the game,” Co-Head Coach Tim Sahaydak said. “These things happen in soccer, but as a team we have to focus on getting better at staying together and confident even when teams make a comeback on us.”

VCU (0-1) got on the board first when senior Jasmine Riley (Arlington, Va.) took a pass from classmate Amanda Adams (Salem, Va.) and fired two shots, scoring on the second go-round after gathering up the rebound from the first shot to give the Black & Gold a 1-0 advantage in the 50th minute.

“As a coaching staff, we definitely saw some good things for our girls tonight,” Sahaydak added, “But with such a young team, there are going to be miscommunications and those are things we have to work on.”

Wechsler’s goal came in the 56th minute of action and Jessica Swanson found the back of the net just five minutes later with the decisive goal.

Redshirt senior Kate Hudson (Clarksville, Md.) played all 90 minutes in goal, recording seven saves in her debut with the Rams.

The Black & Gold held a 6-3 advantage in corner kicks, but the Pirates outshot VCU by a 14-5 margin.

VCU is back on the road next weekend when they travel to Wofford College for a 2 p.m. contest on Sunday, August 30th.