FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University men's soccer team, seeded sixth, will continue its journey in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship on Thursday night when it travels to Rider University for a semifinal match. The start time is slated for 7 pm.

This match will mark the second time that the Stags have headed south to Lawrenceville, N.J., a date which featured seven goals with the Broncs coming out on top by a 4-3 score. Jonathan Filipe scored the game's first two goals to spot the Stags an early lead before Rider bounced back with four straight goals to take the lead 4-2. Thomas Drillien brought Fairfield within one when he scored in the 82^nd minute but the equalizer eluded the visitors and ended with the setback.

Filipe's and Drillien's presence inside the box should be nothing surprising to anyone who has followed the Stags this season. The duo along with Rasmus Sorensen Rejnhold represent most of the Stags offensive output this season. Filipe sits atop the Fairfield scoring leader board with 25 points, registering 10 goals with five assists. Drillien is tied with his teammate for the most assists on the team as his five goes along with his six goals for 17 points. Sorensen Rejnhold has put forth an impressive second half of the year which has led him to seven goals and two assists with a team-high three game-winning goals.

Goalkeeper William Marment continues to hold down the position with conviction, sporting a solid 1.47 goals against average with a .727 save percentage which come as a result of his 48 saves this season. He is averaging four saves per outing this year, having appeared in 12 matches.

Rider posted a 9-7-2 overall record through its 18 games this season which includes a 5-4-1 MAAC record. The fifth-seeded Broncs advanced in the MAAC Tournament following its 1-0 win over Siena College on the road with Francis Gomez Olano picking up his fourth goal of the season in the result.

Zaki Alibou, the 2021 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year, paces the Broncs offense with his 10 goals and five assists for 25 points. He leads an impressive offense that scored three or more goals seven times this season with the team registering a 6-0-1 record in those outings. Sergio Aguinaga (four goals, 8 assists) and Adel Al-Masude (four goals, four assists) have also turned in strong seasons so far with 16 and 12 points, respectively.

Goalkeepers Pablo Gatinois and Guillaume Veinante have split the duties this season. Gatinois owns a 1.54 goals against average with 23 saves while Veinante possesses a 2.01 goals against average with 22 saves.

The winner of this match will play for the MAAC Championship and the right to represent the conference in the 2021 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship. The team which earns the victory will play either top-seeded Marist College or seventh-seeded Monmouth University in the MAAC final on Sunday, November 14 at the highest remaining seed.