FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield women's soccer team will start the most important part of their 2014 schedule when they open up conference play with a match under the lights against the Rider Broncs on Lessing Field Saturday night. The game will be streamed on FairfieldStags.TV and Live Stats will also be available.
In Case You Missed It: The Stags are coming off just their second loss of the season as they fell to Central Connecticut State University 3-0 on the road on Sunday. The loss snapped Fairfield's six-game unbeaten streak which was the longest at the beginning of the season since 2008. Goalkeeper Sophia DeVita doubled her career numbers with six saves in the loss getting her first start of the season.
Stags in MAAC Openers: Fairfield is an impressive 18-2-2 all-time in conference opening games. The Stags started 1-0 in the MAAC for 11-straight seasons, a streak that lasted until 2003. The Stags are 6-0-2 in the first conference game since 2006, and have not allowed a goal in the opening contest since 2008 against Rider.
Fairfield's Home Cooking: As the theme has been all year, the Stags have continued their success on Lessing Field currently carrying a program record 17-game unbeaten streak into the contest. During the ten seasons under Coach Jim O'Brien, Fairfield is 47-19-13 at home and has not lost to a MAAC opponent on campus since 2011 (Iona).
Accurate Anna: Stags sophomore defender Anna Borea tallied her third goal of the season in game-winning fashion against Stony Brook. Borea has already reached a career-high in goals, points, game-winning goals, and shots taken this season. With three goals in her last four games, Borea is tied for the team lead in that category. Borea only took three shots last season but scored a goal, for her career the sophomore has four goals on ten shots.
The Series with Rider: The Stags are 15-4 all-time against the New Jersey squad, but are coming off their first loss to the Broncs since 2004, and the first under Coach O'Brien. Fairfield had won eight straight in the series until the 1-0 road setback in overtime last season. Kathleen Early made five saves in that contest and that Stags outshot the Broncs 23-9 in that contest. The Stags have not lost to the Broncs at home in program history.
A Look At the Broncs: Picked to finish fifth in the MAAC Preseason Poll, the Rider Broncs have won five of their first eight games and are unbeaten in their last four contests. Rider (5-2-1) is coming off a 2-2 draw against Marist when the Broncs came from behind twice with goals from Hollie Kelsh and Tara Ballay. Ballay, their leading scorer with seven goals, was the 2012 MAAC Rookie of the Year and is returning for her junior season after only playing five games last season due to injury. The preseason all-MAAC selection Michelle Iacono leads the team with four assists. In goal, Bethany-May Howard has allowed 1.29 goals per game and has saved 82 percent of her chances.
Up Next: The Stags will head back on the road for a two game swing starting with a match against Quinnipiac on Wednesday, October 1 at 3 pm, followed by a trip to Marist Saturday, October 4 at 7 pm.
