When the men’s soccer team walked off of Lessing Field last week following a loss to Boston College, the Stags’ spirits remained high. Sophomore Forward Jack Burridge and Head Coach Carl Rees each said that the game proved to them that they could compete in the MAAC.
This weekend, the Stags made a point to prove that to the rest of the conference with two 1-0 shutouts on the road against St. Peter’s and Manhattan.
Goalkeeper Justin Burse now has four shutouts on the year, third best in the MAAC, and was named MAAC Defensive Player of the Week for his effort
‘Justin has a presence in his goal which conveys confidence and reliability,’ said Rees. ‘He is vocal and an exceptional shot stopper.’
Senior captain Tom Clements returned to play after missing two games with broken ribs and helped to solidify the defensive back line, a key to the Stags victories.
With the win, the Stags improved to 5-5 overall this season and moved to 2-1 in conference play, putting them in a tie with two other schools (Niagara and Iona) for third place. They trail 3-1 Siena by one game and first place Loyola (4-0) by two.
‘The team needed to win this weekend to stay in contention for the MAAC title,’ said Rees. ‘We played well and the guys deserved to win both games.’
Forward Christian Uy, the team-leader in points with seven, had a hand in both of Fairfield’s goals this weekend. Against St. Peter’s Uy recorded his third game-winning goal of the season and against Manhattan he recorded an assist, sending a cross from the right center of the field to sophomore Erik Ilisije.
Rees said that the team is committed to winning at home this weekend.’ The Stags first must play Rider on Friday night and then head into a game against Loyola, a team that went to the NCAA tournament last year and is ranked eighth in the country.
‘Lessing Field is a great place to play,’ said Rees. ‘We want to give those who come to our games something to shout about.’
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