Oct. 9, 2009

GAMETRACKER VS. FAIRFIELD | GAMETRACKER VS. IONA | WEEK 6 RELEASE

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist men’s soccer team returns home after a seven-game road trip to open Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play against Fairfield and Iona on Friday night and Sunday afternoon, respectively. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m., on Friday and 3:30 p.m., on Sunday. Both teams are ranked in the North Atlantic Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, while Iona is garnering votes in the national poll.

THIS WEEK’S MATCHUPS: Marist will open conference play at Tenney Stadium at Leonidoff Field this weekend. On Friday, the Red Foxes will host the Fairfield Stags in the MAAC opener for both teams at 7 p.m. Marist will wrap up the weekend against Iona at 3:30 p.m., on Sunday.

LAST TIME OUT: Marist gave up three goals on set pieces in a span of 3:07 at La Salle in a 4-1 loss on Saturday. Joe Touloumis scored the Red Foxes’ lone goal of the match in the 54th minute off a feed from Tim Garger. Touloumis scored his team-best third goal of the season, and Garger notched his second helper of the season, also a team-high.

SCOUTING FAIRFIELD (4-4, 0-0 MAAC): The Stags have won their last three matches, all one goal victories, and are currently ranked eighth in the NSCAA North Atlantic Region. The team has a road record of 3-1 this season. Freshman goalkeeper Michael O’Keefe is the regining MAAC Rookie of the Week after he posted a 2-0 week, including a shutout at St. Francis (N.Y.). He has been named rookie of the week twice this season. The Stags are led by Jack Burridge, Christian Uy and Matthew Uy who have tallied eight, five and five points respectively. Burridge has four goals, while the Uy’s have a goal and three assists each.

SCOUTING IONA (6-1-2, 0-0 MAAC, RV): The Gaels received six votes in the national poll by the NSCAA and stand second in the North Atlantic Region. Iona is powered by three-time MAAC Offensive Player of the week Giovanni Destasio, who has eight of the team’s 14 tallies this season. Nils Binstock has been a mainstay between the pipes for the team. He has five shutouts in his six wins this season and has made 31 saves thus far in 2009. The Gaels will travel to Siena on Friday before Sunday’s match in Poughkeepsie.

REGIONAL RANKING: Marist is ranked for the fifth straight week in the NSCAA in the North Atlantic Region. Marist has been ranked in the region each time the poll has come out in 2009. The Red Foxes are ninth in this week’s poll.

“TENN”-ACITY AT HOME: Though Marist has only had two home games so far in 2009, the team is unbeaten at Tenney Stadium. In its first week of the season, the Red Foxes defeated Delaware, 1-0, and played to a scoreless draw with Hartwick. Marist has not had a home match since Sept. 4.

TOUGHER TO CRACK: Last season through the non-conference portion of the schedule, Marist allowed 21 goals. In 2009, the defense has tightened up and allowed just 11 goals and helped the team to two more victories in non-conference play. Marist won four non-conference games this year.

AHEAD OF EXPECTATIONS: After being picked eighth in the 2009 MAAC preseason coaches’ poll, the Red Foxes stand in fifth place in the conference stadings as one of five teams with a .500 record or better.