NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona University men's soccer team remained unbeaten in league play following a 2-1 win over Quinnipiac at Mazzella Field. The two teams played under adverse weather conditions for nearly all of the 90 minutes of play in a contest between the top two preseason favorites and rematch of last year's Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference final.

THE RUN DOWN

FIRST HALF

The league's top scorer, graduate Camil Azzam Ruiz, got the Gaels on the scoreboard in the 19th minute. With Quinnipiac's defenders looking for an opening to move up field, Azzam Ruiz stole the ball from the center back and beat the keeper one-on-one with a chip shot from the top of the box.
 
The Bobcats tied the score at 1-1 less than two minutes later, as their top scoring threat Brage Aasen found the back of the net from Tomas Svecula. Aasen back heeled a pass from the wing to himself and found himself with an open net to draw even with the Gaels.
 
The two teams played the final 24 minutes of the first half with a clean sheet with Azzam Ruiz (2) and Aasen (1) recording the lone shots on target in that time.

SECOND HALF

Iona scored the go-ahead tally early into the second half. Azzam Ruiz started the play, drawing defenders just outside the box on the right side, his centering pass to graduate Matias Morales was flicked on into the middle where senior Aly Camara slid in for a one-timer past the Bobcat keeper. It was Camara's third goal of the season and Morales' his-team leading fifth assist on the tally in the 54th minute.
 
The Gaels did not sit back but could not find an insurance tally in the final 36 minutes. Iona outshot Quinnipiac 6-3 in the time frame. Its biggest scoring chance came in the final two minutes of the contest when graduate Alessio Hernandez' try hit the right post and a few seconds later junior Ricardo Senen Pinillos' sliding attempt to redirect a loose ball by the goal line went just outside the left post in the 88th minute. Quinnipiac had three quality tries with Aasen posting the lone attempt on net in the 72nd minute.

GOALIE/TEAM STATISTICS

Junior goalkeeper Nacho Alfaro Monge made three saves for the Gaels while his counterpart Karl Netzell had four stops. Iona held a 14-9 shot advantage including 9-3 in the second half.

AROUND THE MAAC

Four unbeaten teams in the MAAC entering today's play were reduced to two as Manhattan (4-0) and Iona (3-0) held serve over Quinnipiac (0-1-2) and Rider (2-1-1) respectively. Fairfield (0-3-1) and Canisius (0-2-2) remained winless after their 1-1 tie in Buffalo. Siena (2-1) picked up three road points at Niagara (1-2-1).  Marist (1-1-1) plays at Mount St. Mary's (1-2) tonight and Saint Peter's has the league's bye.

UP NEXT

Iona travels to Rider for a pivotal MAAC mid-week matchup in a 7 p.m. kickoff on Wednesday (October 11).  They then return home next Saturday on Homecoming for a noon tilt vs. Saint Peter's.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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