FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Fairfield University men's soccer team will return to campus for its first game of the 2025 campaign, hosting Monmouth University on Monday. The Stags and the Hawks will face each other at Lessing Field beginning at 7 pm. The game is part of Fairfield Soccer's Free Summer Soccer which includes free admission for all fans during the month of August. 

The two teams met last year in the 2024 opener with Monmouth coming away with a 4-0 win at home. The Hawks scored a pair of goals in each half, scoring two goals just two minutes apart in the first half and two more in a five- minute span in the second half. The Stags and the Hawks renewed their season series last year after playing each year annually in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play. 
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Fairfield comes off a season-opening win at Army West Point last Thursday night, edging the Black Knights by a 2-1 count. The Stags earned the win off the feet of two newcomers who were responsible for the team's two goals. Alex Vaz tallied the season's first goal when he struck a ball that was set up by a free kick just outside the box. He sent the ball into the upper corner in the 12th minute. After the home team knotted the score later in the first half, Fairfield would grab the lead for good just seven minutes into the second half when Sean Albritton tracked down a loose ball at the top of the box and sent the ball into the upper corner for a 2-1 lead. Goalkeeper Evan Chomow held the lead by making a pair of saves in his 90 minutes of work.

Monmouth enters this match with an 0-1 overall record after dropping its opener against the University of New Haven at home. The Chargers scored a late goal in the first half, taking the lead with a goal in the 42nd minute Monmouth rallied to tie the score in the second half when Marcin Kluz found the back of the net after Jakob Friedman connected with him in the 58th minute. New Haven came back to regain the lead in the 61st minute, one of eight shots by the Chargers. Monmouth held the advantage in shots by registering 17, five of which were on target. Otto Moosbrugger spent all 90 minutes in the Monmouth goal, making three saves in that time.

Fairfield continues its season with another home game on Labor Day when it hosts Brown University at Lessing Field. The Stags are in the midst of playing five home games over its next six dates that includes a match with defending national champion University of Vermont on September 20.