FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Despite another resilient effort, the Fairfield University men's soccer team saw its season come to a close with a 4-3 overtime loss to Sacred Heart University in the 2025 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship semifinals.

The Stags overcame a deficit three times during the match, trailing by scores of 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 before finding the equalizer on each occasion. Fairfield found its offensive footing in this year's MAAC tournament, scoring seven goals in its two games.

With the setback, the team also saw its nine-game unbeaten streak come to an end. Head Coach Krystian Witkowski saw his team post a 5-0-4 record during the stretch, a run which started with a 5-1 win over Marist University.

Tonight was indicative of the type of season this team had, constantly fighting through adversity and overcoming deficits. On this night, Fairfield found itself down a goal at halftime after the Pioneers but took little time to find the tying goal.

Just 82 seconds into the second half, Sean Albritton collected a ball off the cross bar and put the rebound into the back of the net to bring the score to 1-1. Sacred Heart needed just eight minutes to regain the lead when Danny Istambouli's shot caromed off the cross bar and over the goal line to put the top-seeded Pioneers back in front.

Fairfield continued to press forward as it tried to find the equalizer. That moment finally came in the 69^th minute when the Stags were awarded a free kick just outside the box in the center of the pitch. Cameron Gerber took the free kick and tucked a shot just inside the left post to garner the team's second goal.

Sacred Heart took its third lead of the game when Fairfield was whistled for a foul inside the box, setting up a penalty kick for Ivan Morcillo. He converted the opportunity with a shot to the left corner, bringing the score to 3-2 in the 77^th minute. Just three minutes later, Fairfield was able to tally its third goal of the match when the combination of Jordan Blunschi and Gerber set up Cole Dougherty for success six yards from goal.

Neither team could find the back of the net over the final few minutes of regulation, sending the game into extra time. Sacred Heart nearly won the game on two occasions in the 94^th and 96^th minutes but goalkeeper Evan Chomow made two diving saves to keep his teammates in the game.

However, Sacred Heart would eventually find its way to victory in the 97^th minute David Garcia Gallego used a header that Chomow was able to get a hand on but unable to completely stop the shot from touching the net.

The Stags finish the 2025 season with an 8-5-5 overall record, the most wins since the 2022 team posted an 8-10-1 mark.