FAIRFIELD, Conn. – It may not have been the blueprint that the Fairfield University men's soccer team followed all season long. Rather than wait until the closing minutes for another dramatic win, the Stags took full advantage of their chance to capture the 2017 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) regular-season title by scoring early and often against Rider University.
The end result was a 3-0 decision over the Broncs and the program's first regular-season crown since the 2011 campaign. The three goals represented a season-high for the Stags as three different players put the ball into the net this evening.
"I think the performance was a culmination of the regular season," Head Coach
Carl Rees said. "Tonight's effort in relation to attention to detail, intensity and mental strength was the best of the season so far. I sensed all week that we were ready for this game. We played a tough Rider team tonight and needed to put our best effort forward. The lads certainly did that tonight."
All season long, Rees lauded the back four and its efforts, especially as of late when the Stags posted seven shutouts in the final 11 regular-season games. And while that effort was once again presented by the Fairfield defenders, the forwards made their play from the outset and presented Rider with unexpected challenges in the early minutes.
Senior
Ben Wignall set the tone early by nearly catching the Rider defense off guard in the first five minutes. The forward shielded the ball with his body and held control 12 yards from goal, before whirling around and sending a shot that nearly clipped the lower corner but ended up just wide of its intended target.
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Ben Wignall's mentality was razor sharp tonight," Rees said. "He was electric and creative. You need quality players to lead the line and Ben and Don-Junior led all night long. They are the focal point of our attack and they provided a cutting edge which resulted in both scoring goal tonight."
Before the Stags' top two scorers made their mark on the game, it was a freshman who struck the first goal for Fairfield. After a foul put the ball just outside the box,
Matt McGlinchey set the spot and surveyed the Rider wall just 10 yards away. The midfielder placed a perfect shot that caught the lower right corner and left Broncs goalkeeper David Pastuna with no options.
"I felt like the first goal was always going to be an important goal," Rees said. "Matt is gifted technically and he picked his spot and it was exactly where he wanted to put it. He was the best man for the job and showed that with the result."
The lead remained at 1-0 at the end of the half which set up the potential of a classic finish of a game that meant so much to both teams. But Fairfield never really allowed that to happen as it continued to attack without allowing much relief to the Rider back four. The pressure eventually yielded the team's second goal which started with a long pass from
Diallo Simon-Ponte, who sent the ball from just inside the midfield stripe to Wignall, who accepted the pass in stride and finished with a strong shot that was initially deflected but had the momentum to find the back of the goal.
If that goal did not end all hope for Rider, the Stags made sure that no come back would be possible when
Don-Junior Bobe posted a goal in the 74th minute, a shot that was set up with brilliance by
Diego Casielles. The midfielder placed a through ball between two Rider defenders that sprung Bobe for a one-on-one chance against the goalkeeper. Bobe tucked a shot just inside the near post, past the diving Pastuna.
But without question, Fairfield's defense excelled once again by keeping Rider pinned in the middle third of the pitch, rarely giving the Broncs a chance to create any dangerous situations inside the box.
The game provided the perfect backdrop for the Stags' seven seniors, who were honored for their play over the last four seasons. But while it was the group's final regular-season match on Lessing Field, it was not the final game that the class would play on its home pitch.
Fairfield will play the lowest advancing seed on Thursday, November 9 after drawing a first-round bye along with second-seeded Rider University. On Sunday, third-seeded Canisius College will host sixth-seeded Iona College while fourth-seeded Manhattan College will host fifth-seeded Quinnipiac University.
