POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Marist men's soccer team fell in a close decision against Monmouth on Saturday night, 1-0. The Red Foxes move to 1-4 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play, with five conference games remaining in the season. Senior goalkeeper Anthony Sokalski (London, Ontario) recorded four saves for Marist.
“Tonight's game was a heartbreaker because we deserved a better result,” said head coach Matt Viggiano. “The guys played really well but soccer is cruel. The best team doesn't always win. Hopefully the team keeps working hard and they get what they deserve.”
Marist and Monmouth battled to a scoreless halftime score after the game was controlled mainly in the midfield. The Red Foxes maintained possession for a majority of the first half, creating several scoring opportunities near the Monmouth goal but were unable to score past Hawks' 6'6 freshman goalkeeper, Eric Klenofsky. The Red Fox defensive unit, including senior Evan Southworth (Newburgh, N.Y.), junior MJ Stellwag (Newburgh, N.Y.), junior Myles Ashong (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) and freshman Dylan MacVane (Middlegrove, N.Y.), held Monmouth to just two shots in the first half, both unsuccessful.
Marist came out strong after halftime, recording two attempts on goal in the first two minutes. Monmouth primarily controlled possession in the second half, getting off six shots in the second half. Junior Dylan Lee (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) had an open net opportunity for the Red Foxes midway through the second half. The shot was kicked away just before crossing the goal line in a great defensive effort by a Hawks player to keep the score tied 0-0.
Monmouth posted the lone goal of the night at the 70:20 mark. Hawks' Dave Nigro dribbled up the left sideline and crossed a short ball to Joseph Schmid. Schmid touched the ball into the box and ripped a shot to the upper left corner past a diving Sokalski to take a 1-0 lead. Despite eight shots in the second half, Marist was unable to convert as the score went final.
The Red Foxes hit the road to face Iona on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Marist returns home on Wednesday, Oct. 30 to face MAAC rival, Siena. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Tenney Stadium. Admission is free and open to the public.
Become a fan of Marist Athletics on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
-GoRedFoxes.com-
