FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Over the years, Lessing Field has not been kind to visitors even more so the last couple of years. The Stags have gone 10-3-4 on their home pitch since 2017 and frustrated the likes of both non-conference and conference foes. And that's exactly the way Head Coach
Carl Rees wants it.
"We want to make this (Lessing Field) a really difficult place to play," Rees said postgame. "I want to make it where nobody wants to come and play Fairfield at Lessing Field. We can do that with performances like tonight."
The Stags performance included coming from behind twice, the first time that the team trailed in a game this year, and rallied to finish their home opener with a 2-2 draw against Stony Brook University. Once again, Fairfield played in front of boisterous crowd that enticed its home side to respond to deficits throughout the night.
With such success comes a level of expectation that Rees and his squad have constructed over the years, leaving the collective with a twinge of disappointment in the result despite overcoming a one-goal deficit in each half to earn the draw.
"It's frustrating not to win on your home opener," Rees said. "That's the overall emotion that I have. I thought in the second half we clawed our way back into the game really well. We had goal scoring opportunities and demonstrated great work ethic again as well as a lot of fight. You have to give credit to Stony Brook. Their second goal was a really well taken goal. But we're not satisfied and I think that's what we are leaving with tonight."
Stony Brook weaved some magic on both of its goals, the first coming in the 37th minute. Mark Irvine started the team's first scoring opportunity with a cross from the right side that found the head of Seawolves' leading scorer Jarred Dass, who redirected the ball into the far corner with a header. It was a culmination of smart start for the visitors that helped them break through after several earlier chances were stopped through brilliant play from goalkeeper
Gordon Botterill.
Trailing by a goal after 45 minutes of play, Fairfield showed a sense of immediacy and attacked from the opening of the second half, earning a corner kick just 40 seconds into the period. It was the aggression that kick started the offense and provided some special moments in the Stony Brook box. Fairfield tied the game in the 59th minute after it was awarded a free kick.
Matt McGlilnchey, who excels at restarts especially when within range of the opponent's goal, released a shot off a free kick from 19 yards away that took a stellar effort by goalkeeper Yamil Montenegro to keep Fairfield off the board. The ball ricocheted to the feet of
Daniel Raimondo, who tapped the rebound into the vacated far corner and brought the two sides even at 1-1.
The Seawolves would regain its edge in the 69th minute after Arni Jakobsson placed a corner kick toward the opposite of the box which Danny Jara finished with a volley that caught the near side corner from point-blank range.
The lead was short lived however as Fairfield would earn the equalizer for the second time off some magic between a trio of Stags. McGlinchey and
Cormac Pike set up the goal scoring opportunity which
Fernando Robayo finished with a flick header that ended with the ball in the back of the net.
"Fernando was on the board again tonight," Rees remarked. "He is good in the air especially for his size. He has really improved his all-around play. He links better and gets into dangerous scenarios. He combined with the one-two down in Saint Joseph's that drew the penalty that set up the game winner. He has shown great goal scoring prowess."
In overtime, Stony Brook had the better chances with three shots in the second 10-minute session, two of which forced Botterill to take action. The goalkeeper finished the game with six saves but three of those came in that opening offensive push by the Seawolves.
Fairfield will turn its focus on the University of New Hampshire, the team's next opponent which comes to campus on September 14 for a 7 pm match.
