Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Manhattan men's soccer team dropped its Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) opener 2-0 to Marist at Tenney Stadium on Wednesday night. With the loss, the Jaspers fall to (1-5-1, MAAC 0-1-0). The Red Foxes improve to (5-2-2, MAAC 1-0-0) with the win.
After the Jaspers controlled possession and enjoyed the better scoring chances for a majority of the first 45, Marist scored just shy of the stroke of halftime on a play that appeared to present very little danger.
With the two teams battling for possession along the sideline in the Manhattan half, the ball came to the feet of Red Foxes sophomore Mario Vukadinovic. The midfielder popped the ball way up in the air near the top of the Jaspers 18-yard box. Sophomore starting goalkeeper Alex Coates McDowall came off his line in an attempt to beat the Marist attack to the top of the area and clear the danger, but freshman Brandon Curtis was able to get there first and nip a header past Coates McDowall and into goal to give the Red Foxes a 1-0 edge.
The Jaspers managed a number of quality chances near the middle of the first half. Freshman midfielder Jose Meza played sophomore Daniel Laguna Kennedy through, but Meza's pass was a bit heavy, and Marist keeper Mark Rajovic was able to grab the ball and end the run. A few minutes later, senior Eugene Heerschap made a run along the edge of the area to Rajovic's right and swung a ball far post for Laguna Kennedy, but the Manhattan forward could not get to it to head it goalward.
Both Heerschap and Laguna Kennedy had a few opportunities throughout the game, but the Marist back line did a very nice job at clearing the danger.
The second Marist goal came in the 59th minute off a corner kick. Senior midfielder Matty Berman stepped up to take the kick to Coates McDowall's right and curved an in swinging kick near the 6-yard box. Junior midfielder Connor Preece made a run near post and headed the ball into goal to make it 2-0.
The final stages of the second half exhibited chippy play from both sides, but no cards were shown over the final 45 minutes of play.
Marist senior defender MJ Stellwag was cautioned in the first half for an aggressive challenge, but he received the only card of the game.
The Jaspers return to action on Wednesday, Oct. 8, when they head to New Jersey to take on Monmouth (5-2-1, MAAC 1-0-0). The opening kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
