POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Alex Vaz scored a pair of goals just two minutes apart at the start of the second half that propelled the Fairfield University men's soccer team to a 5-1 win over 17^th-ranked and previously unbeaten Marist University on Wednesday night. The Stags fell behind by a goal but responded with five unanswered goals to take the win.

"I am very proud of the boys tonight," Head Coach Krystian Witkowski said. "Even after going down a goal, we had the resilience and a balanced mindset to know not only can we get back into this game but take all three points. Marist is number 17 in the country for a reason and these boys deserved this win over a ranked opponent."

The victory marked the program's first against a nationally-ranked team since the Stags edged UNCW by a 2-1 count during the 2018 season. The contest was the third against a nationally-ranked team since Coach Witkowski took over the program, putting the team's mark at 1-1-1 in those match ups.

Fairfield opened the match with the better opportunities as the Stags were responsible for three of the first four shots taken. But it Marist that scored the first goal of the game just 10 minutes into the match when Kyle Evans secured a misplayed ball at the top of the box and skipped a shot past goalkeeper Evan Chomow despite his full extension.  

Both sides continued to move the ball into scoring opportunities but both goalkeepers were able to turn those shots away. The Stags finally worked their way onto the scoreboard in the 31^st minute when Drew Thompson worked the ball from outside the box and sent it across to Sean Albritton, who accepted the pass and turned it into the tying goal.

The score would remain tied at 1-1 going into halftime but it wouldn't take Fairfield too long to take its first lead of the game. Vaz continued to show opponents that he can score from anywhere on the pitch, beginning with his first goal tonight. The freshman converted a pass from Pipeloore Olanrewaju by sending the ball into the upper left portion of the goal, giving the Stags their first lead.

Just two minutes later, Vaz found his way into an opening at the top of the box and once again he finished the chance by sending the ball past the diving goalkeeper, catching the lower left corner this time to push Fairfield's lead to 3-1.

Marist used a sense of urgency to try and work its way back into the match, pushing forward and finding three opportunities to put a shot toward the goal. Two of those tries were handled by Chomow while the third was blocked before it reached the goalkeeper. 

Five minutes after that flurry from the Red Foxes, the Stags struck for the fourth time when Cameron Gerber scored his first goal of the season, a play set up by an assist from Illia Tyrkus. Tyrkus would complete scoring for Fairfield with a goal in the 74^th minute, receiving an assist from Audun Engen Vik to bring the score to 5-1.

Chomow with seven saves to earn the victory in the goal while counterpart Jamie Lowell made one save in his 79 minutes of work. The Stags put six shots on goal in this match and finished five of those attempts.

"It was absolutely the epitome of a team effort," Coach Witkowski said. "Everyone on the team was featured in the game. We spoke of identity and what we wanted Fairfield to represent, to look like, and to feel like. We've shown moments this season but we put it all together for an incredible team performance. I couldn't be more proud of this group."

The Stags will return home for their next match, hosting Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) foe Iona University on Saturday, October 4. The game will start at 7 pm on Lessing Field.