Marist men’s soccer saw its rollercoaster season come to an end on Wednesday afternoon, as Iona prevailed 3-1 in the MAAC semifinal match.
Iona came in as the No. 1 seed and with all the momentum, having won five straight matches during which they outscored the opposition 11-1. Facing a Marist team that had to scratch and claw their way to the semifinal, the Gaels had no trouble continuing their dominance, leading from start to finish.
The Gaels will now return to the MAAC Final on Sunday after losing last year’s Final to Rider. Depending on the outcome of tonight’s Rider-Siena semifinal game, Iona may receive the chance to avenge last season’s title game loss.
Marist had some reason for optimism entering today, as they had previously faced Iona on the road and came up just short. This time around, Marist had some key absences to contend with that increased the challenge of pulling off a win.
Marist’s stalwart in goal, graduate student goalkeeper Jamie Lowell, suffered an injury in Marist’s 2-1 quarterfinal win over Quinnipiac that forced him to miss today’s match. In his stead was sophomore goalkeeper Dreni Idrizi, who previously clutched up to make three huge saves and preserve Marist’s lead in the quarterfinal win.
“[Idrizi] is a confident kid, obviously he did well the other day when he came on, so he’s doing fine,” said Marist head coach Matt Viggiano during an ESPN+ halftime interview.
Also missing in action for Marist was freshman defender Gijs Verheul, who earned a red card in the previous match. Gijs Verheul’s absence created a defensive hole that required some lineup shuffling; sophomore midfielder Skyler Cunha started for the first time in five matches, while sophomore defenders Joseph Daher and Ethan Ortiz played in the middle of the back line.
Junior goalkeeper Loukas Georgiou made his fourth start for Iona in place of freshman goalkeeper Fernando Alves Schmelz. Georgiou allowed a microscopic 0.33 goals-against average in his first three matches and came into today having posted two consecutive clean sheets.
Iona’s well-rounded attack did not take long to materialize, with an early goal in the ninth minute putting the Gaels in control of the match. Senior midfielder Thiago Cagna sent a well-placed pass upfield to the feet of sophomore forward Francesco Borla, who finished off the possession with his third goal of the season. For Cagna, the assist was his 10th of 2024.
Freshman forward Bautista Rossi threatened to extend Iona’s lead on multiple occasions. One of his shots was a strong strike from beyond the box that hooked just a bit too far to the left, while another shot came off a good look but sailed just over the crossbar.
In the 34th minute, Rossi’s pass set up freshman midfielder Alvaro Maneiro on the left side with what appeared to be a great look; however, Ortiz flew in to cut off the angle and block Maneiro’s shot.
After a slew of opportunities, a fortuitous bounce in the 37th minute gave Rossi another chance, and this time, he capitalized. Senior defender Tim Timchenko sent in a free kick which bounced off Marist’s wall and landed at the foot of Rossi on the right side; he made the easy tap-in for his seventh goal of the year.
Rossi went on to be named the MVP of the match for his energetic performance.
“We are a great team. We are great friends too. I’m very happy with my current position in the field and my goals,” said Rossi during an ESPN+ postgame interview.
Down two at halftime, Marist’s season seemingly hung on by a thread.
“We’ve been resilient all year in the face of a ton of adversity,” said Vigginao during an ESPN+ halftime interview. “We’re gonna continue to fight and see where it ends up.”
The Gaels came out in the second and picked up right where they left off, scoring in the 65th minute to essentially put the match out of reach. Maneiro worked his way up the left edge of the end line and played the ball across to senior midfielder Jose Silva, who was left unmarked by the back post. Silva finished the job, putting Iona on the cusp of another championship match appearance.
While Marist faced a huge hole, senior forward Richard Morel refused to go quietly. The heartbeat of Marist’s attack not only this season but over the past three years had one more trick up his sleeve. He collected an interior pass from sophomore midfielder Arion Ulaj and deposited it into the back of the net for his eighth goal of the year.
Marist gave a valiant effort down the stretch and applied pressure until the final whistle, but the deficit proved to be too large to overcome.
Despite the loss, the Red Foxes still undeniably turned a corner as a program this season, overcoming a rocky start to make it all the way to the MAAC semifinal.
Marist began the season getting outscored 13-1 over the first three matches and posted a 1-4 record over the first five. With many roles undefined and the team’s identity still being established, Marist went into a Sept. 14 home match as the underdog against a nationally ranked opponent in no. 18 Fordham.
Marist ceded a goal to Fordham’s top scorer in just the third minute of play, and at that point, the Red Foxes seemed destined to sag to a 1-5 record. But Marist refused to give in, as Morel reemerged to chip in a pair of season-altering goals, giving Marist an upset win and momentum. The win kickstarted a five-match unbeaten streak at home, while Morel went on to score eight goals as the centerpiece of Marist’s attack.
Many of Marist’s young players began to emerge as key pillars of the team. Freshman midfielder Caio Cavaletti received a bump in playing time, adding tenacity and speed to the attack. Ulaj found himself in the middle of numerous scoring plays, while 22-year-old Dutch freshman Chris Verheul stepped up to provide goal-scoring alongside Morel.
His brother, Gijs Verheul, anchored the back line with sophomore Nicholas Sanchez. In addition to continuing to be an indispensable defensive piece, Sanchez also showed an ability to play up with a pair of goals and assists. And Lowell found his groove in goal while also vocally directing Marist on the field and providing a vital veteran presence.
With most of Marist’s roster eligible to return next season, the program seems primed to build upon its resilient 2024 season and emerge as a top contender in the MAAC. This offseason, all eyes will turn to the transfer portal as Marist tries to retain as much talent as possible while also adding to the current core.
Edited by Max Rosen
Graphic and photo from Kira Crutcher
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