POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - In a hard-fought game versus nationally-ranked Iona (12-1, 5-0 MAAC), Marist's second half comeback came up one goal short as they fell in the MAAC matchup by a score of 2-1. Junior Anthony Rozmus (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) and freshman Matt Wendelken (Massapequa, N.Y.) connected for the Red Foxes (5-4-4, 1-2-1 MAAC) in the 63^rd minute for their tally.

With a slick, wet field, the action started slowly as teams combined for just one shot on goal in the first 15 minutes of play. Iona put their second shot on net in the 19^th minute as Alvaro Torrecilla tested Marist goalkeeper Steve Skonieczny (LaGrangeville, N.Y.). The 16^th-ranked Gaels broke through first on the scoreboard at 26:37 when Franklin Castellanos put a long pass into Ignacio Maganto, who finished with a chip shot over Skonieczny from 15 yards out.

Iona increased their advantage to two goals a little over eight minutes later at 34:40 when Maganto found the back of the net again off of an Ansger Otto pass.

Marist looked to cut into the deficit over final 10 minutes of the first half. A set of back to back shots in the 37^th minute was the team's best opportunity. Senior Krystian Witkowski (Rochester, N.Y.) took the first shot, a low blast that required a diving save out of Iona's goalkeeper Borja Barbero. Junior Stephan Brossard (Port Washington, N.Y.) then corralled the rebound off of Barbero and pushed a just over the cross bar.

Coming out in the second half down 2-0, the Red Foxes picked up their intensity and physicality which had positive effects on both sides of the ball. Marist immediately started controlling more of the possession and putting together more sustain offensive drives.

Their pressure in the offensive end eventually resulted with a goal in the 63^rd minute. Rozmus lined up in the near-side left corner and whipped the corner kick into the six-yard box where the charging Wendelken headed the ball in the back of the net at 62:50.

Marist nearly tied it with two strong chances in the final 11 minutes of the game. Off of a free kick restart at 79:54, Wendelken put his second shot on goal of the game only to be denied by Barbero. The Gaels goalkeeper made his third save of the game in the 83^rd minute when sophomore Tony Carreras (Valley Stream, N.Y.) took a low, hard shot on net from 18 yards out.

After 90 minutes of action, the Gaels came out on top by a 2-1 score.

For the game, Iona outshot Marist 13-10 and held a 5-4 advantage in shots on goal.

Post- game head coach Matt Viggiano remarked that allowing two first half goals put the team in hard spot, "we can't concede two goals and expect to fight back and have enough to win. We showed a lot of heart, especially in the second half to put the pressure on a top team. Now we have to look to Sunday and earn three points."

The Red Foxes will next be in action on Sunday when they host Fairfield in a 1 p.m. matchup.