The Marist Red Foxes (3-11-3, 3-7-2 MAAC Conference) fell short to the Siena Saints (10-7-2, 7-3-2 MAAC Conference) ultimately ending their season.
The first half of the match was evenly fought, the Red Foxes recorded seven shots and the Saints tallied eight. Siena, however, was able to get set up all over the field.
Siena’s junior midfielder Iona Snape was harassing the Red Fox wingers through the first half; not giving any room for crosses or centering feeds.
The Saints’ sniper, freshman midfielder Catherine Rogers, was having her way early. She knew exactly where her teammates were at all times and took control of the match. Her pace gave the Marist defense a fit, as she got behind the last line of defense numerous times in the first half.
Marist freshman midfielder, Gabby Tirado, fired two shots in the 21st and 24th minute, but they were both stopped by the Saints’ freshman goalkeeper, Cate Burns. Tirado had just three shots on goal this season for the Red Foxes, but the two she belted in the first half suggested she had gained some confidence.
In the 27th minute, Siena netted their first goal of the day. Sophomore forward Megan Stowell recorded her ninth of the season off of a beautiful feed from Rogers. Stowell weaved through the Red Fox’s defense and tapped the ball into a wide-open net.
With ten minutes remaining in the first half, Siena slowed the tempo and made the Red Foxes run around and chase the ball. This took a toll on the Marist midfield, forcing multiple substitutions.
To start the second half, Siena sent out the same lineup they had to start the game; an indication that Steve Karbowski, the Saints’ head coach, liked what he saw in the first 45 minutes.
The Saints came out firing on all cylinders to begin the latter portion of the match, but Marist’s junior goalkeeper Maddy Catalanotti was up to the task. She took on a strong drive to the net from Siena in the 47th minute; Catalanotti was injured on the play but remained in the game.
Siena kept the pressure on, but the junior keeper yet again was able to shield off a strong shot from Stowell, who was in search of her second goal of the game.
Siena maintained their offensive presence, and lead, throughout the second half, abruptly ending the Red Foxes’ season.
Graduate students like defender Keegan Mayer and midfielder Maille Mcdermott have played their last game as Red Foxes, both were not only leaders for the team but also helped Marist solidify their back end.
McDermott, who had three of Marist’s nine goals on the season, made an impact offensively and defensively. The graduate student had a great sense of spacing the field and good instincts for being aggressive or pushing back.
With that said, this roster has plenty of young talent who could make an impact next season; Tirado showed glimpses of star potential. She possesses a great shot, one she’s not afraid to let rip from way outside.
Freshman defender Jane Brooks will look to take the lead on the defensive side of the field. Finishing fifth in goals allowed this season, Brooks and other key pieces will have to step up to turn those numbers around.
Junior forward Olivia Lindsay led the way with 12 shots on goal this year, something she will look to improve upon next season. She has all the tools to become a potential top scorer for the Red Foxes and she will take on more of a leadership role next season as a senior.
Marist’s most important need for improvement is their goal-scoring struggles. For the second straight season, the Red Foxes struggled to produce offensively. They tallied only nine goals on the season, ranking last in the MAAC, while also finishing second to last in shots with 167.
Head coach Nicole Pacapelli will look ahead to next season, bringing in a new recruiting class that could help this team become more competitive and make their push for the conference tournament for the first time since 2022.
Edited by Jimmy Tsiantoulas
Photo by Kira Crutcher
Graphic by Raegan Van Zandt
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