FAIRFIELD, Conn. – With the season winding down and only a few games left on the schedule, the Fairfield University men's soccer team, like all Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) teams, need points in the standings. And the Stags earned those precious points tonight when freshman Devin Zachry scored a goal in the 78^th minute to defeat Sacred Heart University by a 1-0 score at Lessing Field.

The stats may not reflect that final score as the visitors took 20 shots over the 90-minute game while Fairfield was able to muster up four shots in the match. But the Stags back line along with goalkeeper Viktor Nikolov was able to keep the Pioneers from putting any progress on the scoreboard. Twice, a Fairfield defender cleared a potential goal off the line while Nikolov was able to able to steer any shots on goal away from danger.

The junior registered eight saves to claim his clean sheet, his third of the 2024 season and first since the team's scoreless draw at Lehigh on October 15. Nikolov certainly earned the shutout with several diving saves in addition to two highlight-reel stops that prevented Sacred Heart from taking the lead in the first half and tying the game in the second half.

Don't be fooled though because Fairfield was able to move the ball around the pitch during the match and at times controlled the flanks before Sacred Heart tracked down any dangerous opportunities that fed into the box. In the first half, both of Fairfield's shots were on target and required attention from goalkeeper Andrew Hammersley.

Sacred Heart was able to create opportunities throughout the game but many of their shots came from outside or just inside the box. The Pioneers put three of their 11 first-half shots on target but found more efficiency in the second half with five of their attempts ended up in Nikolov's hands. Perhaps their best opportunity came when Sam McCann received a pass at the top of the box. He turned and sent a shot that Nikolov was able to deflect enough that the ball hit the cross bar and bounced out of play to keep the Stags in front.

Just minutes prior to that play, Fairfield worked some magic in the 78^th minute that resulted in the game's only goal. Kaea Rangihaeata was responsible for the creativity as he held a ball just outside the right box and simply waited for Zachry to make his run toward goal. With precision timing, he fed a cross to the center which Zachry volleyed a shot just under the cross bar to provide the winning margin.

"I think we continue to be most proud of this team's resiliency and how it responds in these type of games," Head Coach Krystian Witkowski said. "We've dealt with injuries so it is really about how guys have stepped up and are playing positions they have not played before this season. There is such fight in this group. They go at it for 90 minutes every game so there is no question about the fight on this team. Defensively, we continue to be difficult to break down."

The Stags have two games left on the docket beginning with Saturday's home game against Canisius University. The team will honor the senior class prior to the 2 pm match at Lessing Field. After the home date, Fairfield will travel to Quinnipiac University for the regular-season finale on November 6.