FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Women's Soccer team will embark on their first road trip of the 2022 season for a pair of matches. The Stags will travel to face Holy Cross on Thursday night at 7m and conclude their weekend with a visit to Princeton on Sunday at 7pm. Fairfield will enter the road weekend with a 1-0 record after rallying to defeat UMass 2-1 on Sunday.
The Fairfield newcomers led the Stags to their comeback win as graduate student
Maddie Mills and freshman
Sam Kersey both touched net in the second half. Fairfield trailed 1-0 in the 78th minute when Mills was able to collect a rebound and send it past the keeper to even the score. Just four minutes later, Kersey received a headed pass from
Elle Scott and hit the back of the net to give the Stags a 2-1 lead. The game-deciding score was set up by a
Reagan Klarmann header that found the head of Scott who was able to flick the pass over the keeper to the right foot of Kersey.
For her game-winning goal in her collegiate debut, Kersey was named the MAAC Co-Rookie of the Week in the conference's first weekly awards. Kersey was one of eight newcomers who made their debut against the Minutewomen with that group combining for six of the team's 12 shots.
Holy Cross enters the match after drawing their first two games of the season, both coming against MAAC opponents. The Crusaders started the year with a 0-0 draw at home against Iona before fighting Siena to a 2-2 draw on the road. Junior Francesca Ciatto got in the scoring column against the Saints with the team also netting a goal. The team has split their first two matches in net with Olivia Dubin recording the shutout against the Gaels.
The Stags will conclude their weekend when they travel to Princeton to face the Tigers on Sunday at 7pm. The Tigers, coached by former Fairfield Associate Head Coach Sean Driscoll, will begin their season with a matchup against Colgate on Friday night. Princeton returns nine of 14 players who netted a goal last season as they advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Driscoll was the associate head coach for the Stags during the 2010-14 seasons, helping the team to 51 victories and back-to-back appearances in the MAAC Championship Final.
Fairfield will return home for their longest homestand of the season when they welcome Bryant on Thursday, Sept. 1 at 7pm.
