FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Women's Soccer team clinched a top-two seed and the right to play for the MAAC regular season championship as they took down Canisius 3-2 on Senior Day. The Stags scored all three of their goals in the first 12 minutes of the match and held on for the victory against a feisty Canisius side. Maddy Theriault led the Stags with two goals and an assist with Sam Kersey picking up the other goal for the squad. With the win, the Stags have clinched a home match up until the semifinals of the MAAC Championship and with play for the regular season title on Wednesday against Quinnipiac.
 
On senior day, it was junior Maddy Theriault who had a role in all three of Fairfield's (14-2-1, 9-1-1 MAAC) goals, all coming inside the first 12 minutes of the match.
 
In the fifth minute, she combined with Ashlyn Walsh to give Sam Kersey a header opportunity which she finished past the keeper to give the Stags an early 1-0 lead. Less than two minutes later, Theriault recovered her own shot that hit the top of the post for a tap in score to increase the lead to 2-0. She capped her day in the 12th minute on a nice individual effort, side stepping the defense and putting in a shot that hit off the Canisius goalkeeper and trickled past the line.
 
Theriault nearly had a first half hat trick, but her shot in the 15th minute was cleared away by the defense at the goal line.
 
After having seven shots in the first 17 minutes, the Fairfield offense was kept in check for the final 70 minutes, tallying just seven opportunities the rest of the way.
 
Fairfield had to weather a Canisius offense that netted one goal in the first half and gave the Stags anxious moments by tallying another score with five minutes to play.
 
Despite some tense moments, the Stags did not allow a shot while the Griffins were looking for the equalizer.
 
With her five points, Theriault has now recorded 25 points this year, the most in the MAAC. She also leads the conference with 11 goals, which is also the most in a single-season in her career. The 11 goals is also in the top-10 in a single-season for the Stags and the most by any Fairfield player since 2018. Her 72 career points also rank seventh on the program's all-time list.
 
The win is the 14th of the season for the Stags, tying the most in a season under Head Coach David Barrett. It is also tied for the fourth-most in a season for the Stags.
 
Fairfield will play for the regular season title on the season's final day, hosting current league-leading Quinnipiac on Wednesday at 4pm.