Fairfield, Conn. (October 5, 2007) ? The Manhattan College men's soccer team suffered a few minutes lapse in the second half, leading to two Fairfield University goals in a 3-0 loss to the Stags in a game that the Jaspers otherwise dominated against the first ranked team in the region.
“Sometimes the game of soccer is unfair as the score of this game absolutely did not reflect how we played. Unfortunately, they got a few lucky breaks and we did not,” said Manhattan coach Michael Swanwick, who pointed to a controversial first half play when Manhattan junior midfielder Sean Morin was struck in the face in the Fairfield box, but got no penalty called and a second half strike that bounced off the crossbar and onto, but not over, the Fairfield goal line.
The Jaspers dominated possession in the first half and outshot the Stags 3-0, with Jasper goalkeeper not having to make a save.
With possession going back and forth for the first 10 minutes of the second half, Fairfield then struck in the 55th minute with Sam Bailey scoring his fifth goal of the season off a pass from Tom Clements. Then, three minutes later, a cross by Sam Bailey skipped on the ground made wet by heavy dew and past Jasper keeper John Ciano, only to be put into the goal by Christian Uy who was standing on the doorstep.
The Jaspers didn't put their heads down and kept pressing, just missing on a shot from 12 yards out by senior midfielder Daniel Cipriano. Cipriano's shot bounced off the crossbar, onto the goal line and then was pushed away by a Fairfield defender.
Then, in the 73rd minute, again against the run of play, a third Fairfield goal was also created by the heavy dew, as goalkeeper Ciano went to pass the ball to a fellow Jasper, only to have it slip out of his hand and onto the foot of Uy, who dribbled the ball into the net.
Overall, the Jaspers outshot Fairfield, ranked number 1 in the region by the NSCAA, by 10-7. Jasper keeper John Ciano made only 1 save; freshman goalkeeper Randall Brobson came on in the 75th minute and did not have to make a save.
The Jaspers next travel to New Rochelle Sunday to take on Iona College. Kickoff is at noon.
