FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Women's Soccer team outlasted the Saint Peter's Peacocks as the Stags grabbed a 3-1 victory, marking their 10th-straight win at Lessing Field. The 10-straight home wins ties the longest streak in program history set during the 1997 season.
Maddy Theriault,
Emilie Cook, and
Reagan Klarmann all scored for the Stags who ran their point total to 13 in the MAAC.
"When we move the ball and we're calm and composed they couldn't get us," Head Coach
David Barrett said. "We shoot ourselves in the foot a lot with our decisions so we need to try and improve and get sharper on our choices because those mistakes lead to opponents having opportunities. It's a MAAC game against a tough opponent who is always difficult to play against. They're quite clever in gamesmanship and being physical and we got sucked into it a little bit but we rose above it enough. I'm glad to get three points from it which we desperately need."
The Stags (9-1-1; 4-0-1 MAAC) notched two of those goals in the first half with Theriault rifling in her team-leading sixth goal of the season in the 22nd minute. It was also the 24th goal of her career, tying for the most among all active Stags.
Saint Peter's had only three shots in the first half but made them count as they tied on a game on a free kick that Cara Therrien was able to head past the keeper.
The Stags would regroup and push through the eventual game-winning goal less than 40 seconds later when
Caroline Kelly sent a ball into the box and found the foot of Cook who hit a line drive past the goalkeeper for her first score of the season.
Fairfield would need nearly 40 minutes to add to that score but finally got some breathing room when Klarmann pushed past a pass from Walsh into the net to give the Stags a 3-1 lead.
The Stags out-shot the Peacocks 23-6, reaching double-figures in shots in both halves. The Stags also had a 7-4 margin on shots on goal and took nine corner kicks.
The win keeps Fairfield in second in the MAAC standings with 13 points, trailing only Canisius who has started conference play with a perfect 5-0 record.
The Stags will look to keep the momentum when they visit Manhattan on Saturday at 3:30pm.
