FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Fairfield University men's soccer team has one more opportunity to take the pitch before the rigors of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) season starts next week. The Stags will host Hartwick College on Saturday night at Lessing Field with game time slated for 7 pm.
Head Coach Carl Rees leads his team into only its second home game of the season despite this being the Stags' seventh game of the season. Fairfield successfully opened the home slate with a 2-1 win over Northeastern on September 10, courtesy of a pair of goals from Dominic Marshall.
Hartwick brings a four-game unbeaten streak into tonight's action, posting a 2-0-2 mark during the stretch. The Hawks lone loss came against Marist College on August 30. Hartwick started the current run with a 4-0 win over Robert Morris before playing to a 1-1 draw against both St. Francis N.Y. and Saint Peter's. The Hawks posted a 2-1 win over Siena in its last outing, as Harry Morton and Johnny McBeth scored in the game.
Jamie O'Grady is the team's top scorer with three goals and two assists (eight points), followed by McBeth's three goals (six points). Lenny Wilson has started four of the six games in goal, registering a 1.18 goals against average with a .643 save percentage.
The Stags come off a road loss to regionally-ranked Temple last Saturday, which pushed the team's record to 2-2-2 overall. Tonight's game marks only the second home game of the season, opening the home slate with a 2-1 win over Northeastern on September 10. Dominic Marshall scored both of those goals which earned him the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Offensive Player of the Week.
Ben Wignall still leads the team in scoring with six points with all those points coming off his team-high three goals. Marshall is next with five points, netting two goals and an assist. Goalkeeper Jack Robinson has started the last two games and owns a 2.87 goals against average.
Following the Hartwick game, Fairfield will play its first conference match of the season when it heads to Siena College on September 28. The team returns to Lessing Field on October 1 where it will host Iona College for a 7 pm match up.
