When he rose Tuesday morning with a tender back, Alex Yagudayev wasn't sure he would be able to make the start in a match that kicked off at 4 p.m. at the Higgins Soccer Complex against Fordham.
The Wildcats were certainly glad that he did.
Yagudayev was brilliant between the pipes, making 13 saves against relentless Fordham pressure over the final 40 minutes to help Nova hold off the Rams 1-0 on a steamy late summer day on West Campus. That is one more save than the native of Brooklyn's previous career high of 12, set in 2024 vs. Marquette. He also had some good fortune on his side as the Rams also hit the post twice.
"I loved the performance of Alex Yagudayev," said Villanova head coach Mark Fetrow after watching his side up its mark in the young season to 3-0-1. "What an unbelievable game by him. I'm not sure I've ever seen a keeper make as many saves as he did in this match.
"We've had three clean sheets in a row at home and a big part of that has been our defensive structure. But today it was Yagu. He did an incredible job."
Villanova had a lead to protect thanks to a set piece goal in the first half. Junior Luke Martelli fed the ball into the box where Brody Crampton got a piece of it before it landed on the foot of Lorenzo Avalas. The junior from California wasted no time in firing the ball past Shayon Kashi in the Rams' net at 19:51.
"We set a goal before the game that we wanted to score a goal in the first 25 minutes understanding that it was hot out and it would be tough for teams to press," Fetrow stated. "We accomplished that goal.
"Zo is such a competitor, a warrior who is so brave. He puts his face in front of everything so for him to be able to get that opportunity was important."
The remaining 70 minutes, however, saw the Wildcats on the back foot as Fordham generated consistent pressure. The Rams would end the day with a 43-8 edge in shots and there were countless high-quality chances.
In one sequence late in the period, Yagudayev turned away a pair of point blank shots from the Rams and saw a teammate save another that he couldn't reach.
"We work a lot on Coach Fetrow's fundamentals," Yagudayev said. "We work hard defensively. I think that's what we did well today. We stuck together and rode it all the way to the end. I was doing my portion of the job, the same way the rest of our guys were doing theirs. I think that's what our identity is."
Yagudayev thanked the Wildcats' athletic training staff led by Matthew Mitchell for its efforts in helping him get on the field.
"There was some treatment and I worked through it," he said. "There are guys on the team going through much more than I was. I see them on the field pushing through it and it encouraged me to tough it out."
Villanova is idle until Labor Day when it hosts FDU at 1 p.m. at the Higgins Soccer Complex.
"The break comes at a good time for us," Fetrow stated. "We've got some guys who can use some recovery time."
