Fairfield University Athletics

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- At this time of the season, every point is valuable when battling for the top spot in the conference standings. So from that perspective, tonight's 1-1 draw with Marist College allowed the Fairfield University men's soccer team to remain in first place of the current Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings. But the fact that the Red Foxes scored the tying goal with just 23 seconds remaining in regulation was not lost on Head Coach Carl Rees.

"I feel like it was two points dropped (in the standings) rather than a point gained, Coach Rees said."But at the end of the day, Marist did not gain any ground on us and we are still on top of the league with two games to play."

Rees' reference came because Marist managed to snatch a win away from the Stags when the team was awarded an indirect free kick eight yards from goal after a defender was called for a pass back to the goalkeeper. The Stags lined all 11 players on the goal line since the team had to give 10 yards on the free kick. When the whistle blew to put the ball back in action, Cameron Harr hit a shot that hugged the grass and managed to elude all Fairfield defenders, catching the far corner of the goal to level the game at 1-1.

It seemed ironic that Marist scored the equalizer in the closing minute of the second half since Fairfield took the lead originally on a free kick with less than 30 seconds remaining in the half. The Stags set the ball down about 20 yards from goal after Marist was called for bringing down a Stag just outside the box. Matt McGlinchey took his place over the ball as he has done all season long. But this time, Diego Casielles stood to the side of McGlinchey and waited for the whistle to put the ball back in play. The senior took the free kick and curled the ball just inside the near post, a shot that eluded goalkeeper Ryan Sinnot with 47 seconds remaining in the half.

Fairfield dictated play through most of the second half before Marist began to turn up the pressure in the final 10 minutes as it looked for the tying goal. With that added effort down the stretch, the Red Foxes ended up nearly doubling up the Stags in shots for the second half, holding a 9-5 edge over the final 45 minutes of regulation. But the Stags defenders staunchly kept the ball away from danger until that final minute when Marist made a run at goal that set off the scramble in front of the net which determined the indirect free kick.

In overtime, both teams managed a pair of shots but both teams had opportunities to win the game with good ball movement inside the box. For Fairfield, Jonathan Filipe nearly ended the game when he used great footwork to break down a pair of Marist defenders and giving the freshman a clean look at the goal. He released a shot that raised a tad too much and ended up eluding the far upper corner of the goal with a few minutes left in the first overtime. The Red Foxes had an equally dangerous moment in the second half Samad Bounthong collected a ball eight yards from goal but sent his shot over the cross bar to keep the game even. Allen Gavilanes also had a chance to score the game winner but a diving stop from Gordon Botterill prevented any further danger. 

"We worked hard and could have put the game away on a couple of occasions in the final third," Coach Rees said. "We are a young team that needs to learn how to manage games down the stretch."

The Stags will get their next opportunity to earn points in the standings on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Saint Peter's University. Fairfield will close out the regular-season schedule on October 31 when it hosts Manhattan College at 7 pm on Lessing Field.