FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Stags had the visiting Griffins on their heels for the final six minutes of the game, taking six shots with four coming on frame. However, freshman goalkeeper Alana Rossi collected all four stops she needed and the Griffins weathered the Fairfield storm, striking for the golden goal less than three minutes into the overtime period as the Stags dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker to open up the conference slate.
“I thought we gave them the game,” Head Coach Jim O'Brien said. “It's our Achilles heel; we just make silly mistakes that end up in the back of the net.”
The Stags (1-8-0, 0-1-0 MAAC) controlled the pace throughout the entire game which led to a 16-7 shot advantage. That pace paid off in the 33rd minute when Holly Habyan collected a ball near the midfield line and after a couple of dribbles launched a beautiful through ball that Jenny Jacobs chased down. After making a move past her defender, the sophomore calmly finished the play and recorded her first goal of the season.
That's where the score would stay for nearly 50 minutes until Canisius (3-4-0, 1-0-0 MAAC) was able to knot the score when a failed clearance attempt found the foot of Gretta Dry and the Canisius striker was able to find the upper corner with less than 10 minutes on the clock.
After the ball landed in the back of the net, the Stags absolutely controlled the pace, playing the rest of the regulation time inside the Canisius end. Fairfield energetically answered the bell by placing six shots in the final six minutes and did so by controlling the midfield. Canisius' freshman goalkeeper Rossi was able to stop each of the Fairfield shots with a highlight reel dive off a curling ball from Habyan in the 88th minute. The sophomore tried to twist a shot around the keeper, but Rossi went away from the near post and had to fully extend to keep the ball out of the upper corner.
The Stags would gain control of the ball back after the midfield won another challenge off a goal kick and found Pamela Coufos on the left side. The senior also tried a cross field shot, but Rossi knocked the ball down momentarily before quickly scooting up the rebound.
The momentum did not carry over for the Stags in the first and only overtime period, with Elena Santos taking the only Fairfield shot in the 92nd minute. Thirty seconds later, Canisius' Dry got free past the Fairfield backline and delivered a cross to Sabrina Fitzgerald who easily put in the pass to end the match.
Besides the missed chances on the stat sheet for the Stags, Fairfield was also whistled for seven offsides, with five coming in the first half. The Stags were also called for 16 fouls, compared to eight for the visiting Griffins.
The Stags will look to bounce back after their first MAAC loss when they host the reigning MAAC Champions Siena Saints on Saturday at 4pm.
