JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Hugo Espuela-Hurtado scored the game's only goal with just over one minute left in regulation to lift the Fairfield University men's soccer team to a win over Saint Peter's University in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) quarterfinal match.
The game featured a few momentum shifts although the Stags seemed to have the better of it for most of the match. The first half featured Fairfield spending most of the time on Saint Peter's side of the pitch, setting up several shots that kept pressure on the Peacocks back line. The Stags gained possession early and forced a few corner kicks in the opening minutes which required Saint Peter's to pull back and defend.
In the 17
th minute, Fairfield put together a flurry of shots that required some attention from goalkeeper Robbie Anderson.
Nadav Zarmi started the blitz with a shot that was deflected by a defender, which set up another attempt by
Santiago Gonzalez that brought Anderson's first save of the match. Hurtado released his first shot of the game second later but it sailed high and wide.
Thomas Drillien found free space inside the box and tested Anderson with a shot toward the corner that ended with a diving stop to keep the game scoreless. By the end of the first half, Fairfield would add a few more shots to the ledger, ending the first 45 minutes with a 7-4 edge in shots. All of Saint Peter's shots were not on target as Fairfield's defenders did not allow much room for maneuvering inside the box. Two of those four tries never made it to goal as Fairfield defenders put a foot on the ball once the it was released by a Peacock player.
The second half provided even more opportunities for Fairfield as the visiting side would add 10 more shots to their game total, ending the match with 17 attempts. Before either side was able to establish itself, the Stags sent a barrage of five shots in the opening six minutes. Unfortunately, all of the attempts sailed wide of the goalposts and the game remained scoreless.
The Peacocks found some momentum starting in the 69
th minutes, a run which last nearly 10 minutes during which they put four shots toward the Fairfield goal. Goalkeeper
Gordon Botterill was equal to the task though as he made a pair of saves on the two shots that found the target, both by Saint Peter's forward Jordan Jowers.
In the final three minutes, Fairfield once again recovered and moved forward to create chances in dangerous areas. Shots by
Jonathan Filipe and
Joseph Lozowski missed the mark but kept the Peacocks pinned into their defensive third as time ticked away and prevented any real chances to counter the Stags' attack.
With both sides nearly resigned to overtime, the Stags earned a corner kick with just over one minute remaining.
Jonathan Filipe sent the ball from the far corner of the pitch that curled toward the near post. Hurtado timed his run well enough to gain an advantage between two defenders and redirect the ball with a header that found the upper corner of the goal.
Saint Peter's tried to push forward but the Stags packed the defensive third and sent any ball back before any magic could be managed.
"I am extremely proud of how we performed today," Head Coach
Carl Rees said. "I felt we were worthy winners. These guys have worked hard for a long time in an attempt to experience memories like this. We had a plan and it's a player's game. We look forward to playing in the next round."
The win sends the Stags into the MAAC semifinals where they will play top-seeded Quinnipiac University on Wednesday. Kick off is slated for 3 pm.
