Marist traveled to face the Merrimack Warriors (4-6-3, 2-3-2 in MAAC), looking to halt a three-game losing streak. The Red Foxes earned their first draw in MAAC play this season to bring their conference record to 2-3-1 (6-3-3 overall).
Sophomore midfielder Gijs Verheul tallied a goal for the Foxes, his fifth of the year. Verheul now leads the team in goals and is tied for fourth in the MAAC.
Marist outshot the Warriors twelve to seven, with half of Marist’s shots being on net. This game marks the ninth time this season Marist has outshot their opponent, including the fifth time in the last six games.
The Red Foxes’ defense held their hosts to just two shots on goal, but graduate student goalkeeper Jamie Lowell was forced to make impressive saves to force the draw near the end of the game.
Early pressure from Marist saw them dominate the first half, registering eight shots to Merrimack’s one, with five of them coming in the first 20 minutes of the half.
This intensity from the Red Foxes paid off when sophomore midfielder Gijs Verheul found space at the top of the 18, sending a rocket into the bottom right corner past graduate goalkeeper Nelton Semedo.
As it seemed the Red Foxes would take this lead into halftime, the Warriors struck. With five minutes left in the half, Merrimack equalized on their first shot of the game.
Freshman midfielder Keller Cassidy sent a beautiful through ball out of reach for any defender, finding graduate student forward Theom Samba through on goal for a one-time finish into the bottom right corner past a diving Lowell.
Early into the second half, Samba delivered a half-volley from the edge of the box, but was denied by a good save from Lowell.
From there, graduate defender Alessandro Bedei unleashed a fast-paced low-driven shot saved by Lowell’s quick reflexes, and then Lowell came up big again after saving a follow-up header on back-to-back scary plays for the Red Foxes.
Marist continued to threaten in the second half, with sophomore defender Evan Marques sending a header straight at Semedo off a corner kick from junior midfielder Kyle Evans.
Although being outshot, the Warriors created the more dangerous chances as the game was winding down.
With two minutes to go, sophomore forward Adam Abdelaal, who leads the Warriors in goals alongside Cassidy with four, attempted an audacious half-volley from 20 yards out that seemed destined for the top right corner until a diving save from Lowell tipped it over the crossbar.
In the last seconds of the match, Bedei knocked a header in the six-yard box with a chance to seal the game, but missed it just wide past the bottom left post.
The result snaps Marist’s three-game losing streak, earning a valuable road point in the MAAC. The Red Foxes remain winless in their last four games, though, and sit eighth in the standings.
Marist looks to get back to winning ways at home next Saturday against Rider. Kick off is scheduled for 7 p.m. under the lights of Tenney Stadium.
Edited by Ryan Eichem
Graphic by Jaylen Rizzo
Photo from Marist Athletics
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