LOUDONVILLE, NY — The Iona University men's soccer team saw its postseason run come to a tough end on Thursday afternoon, falling 2–1 in overtime to two-seed Siena in the semifinal round of the 2025 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship. The Saints grabbed the game winner in the final minutes of the first overtime to take the matchup over the defending champion Gaels at Hickey Field.
Rookie
Andrey Mora Bravo scored the opening tally for Iona, his third goal of the season. Graduate student
Yannik Vogel and senior
Matias Mancheno recorded assists on the first half strike. Sophomore
Fernando Alves Schmelz tallied three saves in goal for the Maroon & Gold.
GAME SUMMARY
Iona opened the match with strong possession and tempo, controlling much of the first half. After several early chances, the breakthrough came in the 25th minute. Bravo capitalized on a well-executed buildup, finishing a header in the dead center of the box off a cross from Mancheno for the 1-0 lead.
Siena did not back down and finally broke through the Iona defense that didn't issue a shot the first 35 minutes of game action. In the 37th minute, Lucas Almeida found the equalizer for the Saints burying a cross from Thomas Sams six-yards out to tie the game up at 1-1.
The second half was a battle with both sides firing six shot attempts. Iona was held to just one attempt on goal, a long range strike from graduate student
Aitor Jorde in the opening minute of the restart. Schmelz came up with two critical saves in the final 10 minutes for the Gaels including a high, center-driven strike from Sams that nearly ended the match in regulation. Neither team found the net before time expired, sending the semifinal into overtime.
In overtime, Siena had the first look three minutes in as Almeida strike from the left side missed just past the far post. The Gaels lone shot of overtime came in the 96th minute as sophomore
Alvaro Maneiro fired a shot from 20-yards out that sailed high over the crossbar. The Saints dictated tempo from there with another rush in the attacking third as Peter Fogarty sent in a sweeping cross from the right side to find Campbell Stalker wide open to bury the ball along the far post and past the reach of Schmelz to send the Saints to the MAAC final and end Iona's postseason run.
TEAM STATS
- Iona had a 13-10 advantage on shots and Siena 5-3 for shots on goal.
- The Saints led 4-2 on corner kicks and 3-2 on assists.
- There were 20 combined fouls between both teams with 4 yellow cards handed out.
SEASON WRAP UP
The Gaels conclude the 2025 season with a 9-4-5 overall record and a 6-1-3 mark in MAAC play. Iona was represented with seven All-MAAC performers, tied for the conference high this season.