FAIRFIELD, Conn. – After a brief one-game stay at home, the Fairfield University will play a pair of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) matches on the road beginning with Wednesday's game against Merrimack College. The road trip ends with a Saturday afternoon game against Saint Peter's University.
The Stags are currently in the mix for one of the eight MAAC tournament slots available with their 1-1-1 conference mark which includes a 1-0 setback against Rider University last Saturday night. The decision ended Fairfield's five-game unbeaten streak which accounted for a 2-0-3 mark over the four-week period. The team has five more games on the 2024 regular-season docket, all of which are against conference foes.
The Stags have established themselves defensively over the last six dates, allowing just four goals in those contests and no more than one goal in one of those games. Since September 16, Fairfield is tied for the best goals allowed average in the MAAC with Rider as each team has allowed four goals in six games during the period (0.67 per game).
Offensively, Fairfield scored six goals in that same six-game stretch including a three-goal effort in a win against Columbia. The Stags are one of five schools in the MAAC to have five or more multi-goal games this year with Fairfield and three others accomplishing the task in five games and Rider leading the pack seven results of two goals or more.
William Pierce remains the team's top goal scorer with five while
Devin Zachry and
Thomas Drillien have two goals each. Zachry also has a team-best five assists to his credit which remains in the top 50 nationally for Division I.
Merrimack looks build on its 2-1 win over Saint Peter's in its last outing, giving the team a 2-10-0 overall record and a 1-3-0 MAAC mark. Simon Johansson scored his first goal of the season for the team's first goal against Saint Peter's while a team goal ended up being the deciding factor in the 51
st minute.
Herman Rugland is the team's top scorer with a goal and three assists for five points while Jonathan Kratz and Liam Ziegler are next in line with two goals for four points each. Nelton Semedon has spent a majority of the minutes in the Merrimack goal, sporting a 2.00 goals against average with a .686 save percentage off 48 saves in his 11 starts.
Prior to its one-goal loss against Merrimack, Saint Peter's posted back-to-back 1-1 draws at Canisius University and versus Manhattan University. Conlan Paventi picked up the goal against the Golden Griffs while Tim Strele scored versus the Jaspers. The duo are the team's two multi-goal scorers with Paventi pacing the team with three goals and Strele adding a pair of goals to the cause. Pedro Alves started 11 games in the Peacocks goal, registering a 2.10 goals against average with a .744 save percentage off 64 saves.
Following this two-game road trip, Fairfield will come back to campus for its final two regular-season home games, hosting Sacred Heart University on Wednesday, October 30 and Canisius on Saturday, November 2 at Lessing Field.
