BUFFALO, N.Y. – If there is one thing that can be said about the 2018 edition of the Stags' men's soccer team, it would be that this team knows how to score goals in a variety of ways. Tonight, Fairfield put the ball in the net off set pieces, off counter attacks, and off combinations through run of play. The end result was a 5-0 win over Canisius College, the team's third victory in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play in as many outings.
And what is even more encouraging to Head Coach
Carl Rees is the fact that four goals were scored by freshmen, a sign that the once inexperienced rookies are slowly becoming more seasoned when the games count the most.
"Freshmen are scoring because freshmen are playing," Coach Rees said. "
Cormac Pike scored a couple of goals and was a factor in the own goal by Canisius.
Santiago Gonzalez made the right decision with a toe poke that resulted in another goal. And,
Jack Weiss came off the bench and made something happen as he has done all season."
At the heart of tonight's offensive showcase was the set piece, something that the team works on constantly during training under the watchful eyes of Assistant Coaches
Jonny Raj and
Javier Decima. The repetition certainly paid off for the Stags tonight as sophomore
Matt McGlinchey used his accuracy with the ball to set up a few of the goals.
"The set piece is vital because it is so difficult to execute at any level," Coach Rees said. "Goal scoring is so difficult to create through run of play that you really need to take advantage of those opportunities when they are presented. Fortunately, we have
Matt McGlinchey who can put the ball on a dime when given a free kick chance. He also knows how to make the proper selection on what is appropriate at each juncture of the match."
Fairfield's first goal was started by senior
Diego Casielles, who carried the ball briefly before sending a through ball into the box which Gonzalez poked past the charging goalkeeper and into the lower corner of the net.
"Our upperclassmen have provided stability all season," Coach Rees said. "Diego and
Daniel Bjorck provided that leadership throughout the night."
Pike's first goal was a result of his tenacity as the freshman collected a rebound off a missed penalty kick and sent the ball back on target, beating the goalkeeper for a 2-0 Fairfield advantage. The Stags maintained that two-goal edge for the rest of the half and went into the locker room with the 2-0 lead.
Canisius provided the Stags with a three-goal margin when the defense was cited for an own goal just 90 seconds into the second half. McGlinchey handled a restart in the 52
nd minute when he sent a cross into the box which allowed Pike to elevate and redirect the ball with a header that pushed the score to 4-0.
Fairfield's final goal came in the 59
th minute when Weiss came off the bench and provided spirited play as he has done throughout his appearances this season. He earned his third goal of the season when he secured a rebound off his own shot and put the ball back on goal to beat the goalkeeper high.
"We are not a one-dimensional team that goes through one player to score goals," Coach Rees said. "We are flexible tactically and change our framework throughout the game because we have the versatility to do so. We are able to do that because we have the depth and talent to make changes and see them through."
Not to be lost in the shuffle is another solid performance by the back line who once again frustrated the opposition with strong play from touch line to touch line. The defense put together a plan that kept Canisius from creating few dangerous chances inside the box. And when there was a scoring opportunity, Botterill was there to defend his line.
"I was very happy that we did not concede against a very physical Canisius side," Coach Rees said. "Defensively, we were rock solid. Gordon was rarely troubled but retained good focus and concentration when we needed it.
Nadav Zarmi and
Jonas Vergin were very commanding in the back. Daniel played a crucial role for us as well."
With a 3-0-0 start to the MAAC season, Rees is pleased with the nine points in the standings but knows it's still very early in the conference season. Now, the team must shift its focus on Iona College, a formidable team that comes to Lessing Field on Wednesday night for the continuation of MAAC play.
"We are not going to get ahead of ourselves," Coach Rees said. "We have a very difficult game upcoming against a very strong Iona team. We need to move on to the next one and get ready for Wednesday night."
