NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona men's soccer team defeated Niagara, 2-1, on Wednesday afternoon on Mazzella Field. On the strength of goals by
Frederik Johnson Oee and
Edu Calvo-Salinas, Iona stands alone as the lone unbeaten team in conference play.
MATCH SUMMARY
Niagara began the match with a pair of early chances on goal, both of which were called offside by the assistant referee on the far side of the pitch. Though it didn't register on the stat sheet, Juan Alfaro Monge made a pair of nice stops in goal on those Niagara chances ruled offsides.
Monge proceeded to register a pair of saves that counted towards his stat total, stopping both shots from Gabriel Mikina, the reigning MAAC Offensive Player of the Week. Iona struck first in the 29th minute on a long pass upfield by Tom Fillaudeau that found Frederik Johnson Oee and eventually the back of the net.
As the opening 45 minutes of action dwindled, Camil Azzam Ruiz came onto the pitch and made an impact for Iona offensively. In limited first-half action, Azzam Ruiz managed two shots on goal that forced Josh Savoni to make saves. Azzam Ruiz started the second half for the Maroon & Gold and had another attempt on goal to try and add an insurance marker for the Gaels, but Savoni stopped it.
Savoni's play in net kept his side within striking distance, and the Purple Eagles offense finally answered the bell in the 64th minute. Stephen Hasse fed a ball into the box off of a corner kick that Rodrigo Almeida headed past Monge to level the match at one goal apiece.
It took Iona just four minutes to respond and re-take the lead in the 68th minute. Eduardo Calvo-Salinas received a pass from Sergio Gonzalez Fernandez that he put past Savino to put the Maroon & Gold back on top. Iona held onto the lead, thanks in part to a save by Monge on a last second free-kick and shot on goal with the clock stopped under ten seconds.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Calvo-Salinas' goal was his first of the season, the game-winner. The graduate student is up to three points across nine games played in 2022.
- Johnson Oee's goal opened the scoring and was the second of his freshman campaign. He is tied with four other Gaels' for the team-lead in goals scored this season.
- Fillaudeau tallied the first point of his career with the primary assist on Johnson Oee's.
- Gonzalez Fernandez padded his lead in assists and points with his helper on the game-winning score by Calvo-Salinas. The freshman paces the Maroon & Gold with his four assists and eight points this season.
- Monge made five saves to win his fourth match of the season. His final save came with just two seconds on the clock on a free-kick for Niagara in the waning seconds.
- The Gaels remain unbeaten at home this season through six matches (4-0-2).
- By virtue of today's victory and a Siena loss against Saint Peter's, Iona moved into second place in the MAAC table.
- Iona has now won six of the last seven matchups with Niagara. The Gaels have won seven straight over the Purple Eagles at Mazzella Field, with Niagara's last victory in New Rochelle coming during the 2007 season.
AROUND THE MAAC
- Saint Peter's 1 - Siena 0
- Marist 4 - Canisius 2
- First-place Manhattan welcomes Quinnipiac for a 6:00 p.m. start at Gaelic Park.
- Rider and Mount St. Mary's play at 7:00 p.m. in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.
UP NEXT
Iona returns to action this Saturday, October 22 at Siena. The Gaels and Saints are scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. start at Hickey Field in Loudonville, New York.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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