NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. -- The Fairfield University men's soccer team dropped the middle match of its three-game road trip this afternoon with Iona University posting a 2-0 victory. The Stags, which opened the road swing with a win at Niagara, will conclude the stretch with a match at Marist College on Saturday night.

The Gaels scored a goal in each half of the match with both of their opportunities coming off a set piece. Iona held the advantage for most of the first half, keeping pressure on the Fairfield back line and goalkeeper for a majority of the 45 minutes. James Anderson was able to keep the home team in check for most of the half but saw that change when Iona was granted a free kick just outside the penalty area. The Stags placed a wall just inside the box as Federico Russo stepped to the ball to restart play. The midfielder approached the ball and struck a shot that would eventually catch the upper right corner of the goal, just out of the reach of a fully-extended Anderson to give the lead to the Gaels.

Fairfield stepped up play in the second half and began to build better opportunities in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. The first chance came when Cormac Pike went forward with a well-timed run that ended with a strong header that eluded the goalkeeper but skipped just wide of the far post to keep the game at 1-0. The fifth-year defender was also responsible for Fairfield's next chance near the goal as once again Pike worked himself into free space and sent a header on goal which required goalkeeper Juan Monge to make his first save of the game.

Iona responded with several attacks inside the box but each chance ended with a challenge from a Fairfield defender that forced the shot wide of the goal. The Gaels took 18 shots in the match but placed just five on target. One of those shots on goal came after the Stags were whistled for an infraction just inside the box as an Iona attacker was brought down on the right side. Camil Azzam Ruiz was given the chance and he responded with a well-placed shot that eluded Anderson who went to the same side as the attempt but could not get his hand on the ball. With a two-goal deficit, the Stags pushed forward with more urgency which resulted in a couple of shots added to their total but none of which found the back of the net.

Anderson finished the match with three saves, giving up his first goal in four starts with the last coming against Rider on October 8. Monge was credited just one save during his 90 minutes on the pitch. 

After finishing up their three-game road trip on Saturday, Fairfield will close out the regular-season portion of its 2022 schedule by hosting Siena College on Wednesday, November 2. The match will be played at Lessing Field beginning at 7 pm.