Marist men’s soccer picked up a much-needed win on the road against Rider on Saturday afternoon, winning 3-2 behind a pair of first-half goals. This win, Marist’s first after back-to-back matches where they dropped points, lifts the Red Foxes (5-3-5, 3-2-2 Metro) in conference standings as the playoff race heats up.
Rider went down a man while trailing 3-2 late in the second half after graduate student defender Louis Demarest picked up his second yellow card of the game on a late challenge.
The two programs, playing their 27th all-time matchup, came into the match separated by just three points in the Metro standings. Marist is now tied with the Broncs and Quinnipiac for third place in the standings, with just three games to play for Marist and Quinnipiac but two for Rider.
Fairfield, which beat Canisius earlier today, retains control of the top spot, while the three aforementioned schools are duking it out for the final five spots along with Iona, Merrimack, Niagara, and Saint Peter’s, all at least tied for a spot in the coveted top-six. Canisius is the only program that is more than one match’s worth of points out of the playoff race.
Rider (7-4-3, 3-3-2 Metro) began strongly, taking advantage of the space afforded to them by Marist’s backline and midfield. Freshman forward Chiemeka Azurunwa’s shot 22 seconds into the match was saved, giving a good inkling of what to come.
Freshman midfielder Seth Hadeed, who started in place of an injured junior midfielder Caio Cavaletti, who has now missed three straight with injury, opened the scoring in the 28th minute. Hadeed notched his first career goal, with sophomore defender Will Salivonchik providing the assist.
Rider battled back immediately when the Broncs won a penalty a minute later after a foul from junior keeper Alex Murania. Murania was booked, and senior forward Patryk Rojek converted.
Junior defender Evan Marques broke the deadlock seven minutes later for Marist with a volleyed finish off a cross from sophomore winger Ronan Hogg. Marist had a penalty shout of its own a bit later, but a video review was not enough to overturn the call on the field, which was no foul.
In between Marques’ goal and the penalty review, junior forward Chris Verheul missed a huge chance to double the lead in quick succession; Verheul and graduate student forward Mani Diop linked up beautifully in the box, but the Dutchman couldn’t control his shot, which sailed wide.
Murania was one of two Red Foxes booked in the first half. Junior defender Gijs Verheul earned a caution in the 17th minute for a foul from the back after he lost the ball. Marist’s bench was livid at the call, an energy they kept up throughout the half and especially after the video review.
“There are no style points in this league. There’s no margin for error,” said Marist head coach Matt Viggiano.
Rider started well in the second half as well, and were rewarded with a tying goal in the 55th minute. Sophomore midfielder Drew Heil put Azurunwa in behind, who converted the chance. Heil nearly put the Broncs ahead six minutes later, but a great save from Murania kept it level.
Marist re-took the lead behind another Salivonchik contribution, this time a goal in the 67th minute. Pinball in the box put Salivonchik alone at the far post, and he capitalized. Sophomore midfielder Adriano Iannello nearly scored a minute later, but a great save from graduate student keeper Marius Helias kept the match in reach.
Helias made a pair of big saves to deny Marist, one in the 74th against Diop and another in the 87th on Hadeed, both of which came against Red Foxes who had gotten in behind Rider’s defense.
Azurunwa nearly tied the match with just 19 seconds left, but, similarly to his shot 22 seconds into the game, he didn’t find the back of the net.
The Red Foxes, led by three points from Salivonchik and seven saves made by Murania, took a season-high 22 shots en route to the win.
“[Alex] won the game for us. He hasn’t lost games for us, but he hasn’t won us a game,” said Viggiano. “He won us the game today.”
Marist does remain penaltyless since November 10, 2024 – a stretch of now 29 games – but has still found ways to score.
“I thought we played well, attacking-wise. We gave away too many chances, but at the same time, you saw how many we created,” said Viggiano.
Marist faces very little recovery time before its next game, an 11 a.m. match at home against Saint Peter’s on Wednesday. The Peacocks are off this weekend, meaning the Jersey City-based squad will come into Poughkeepsie with fresh legs.
“It’s time to grind.” said Viggiano.
Edited by August Lieberman
Photo by Michael O’Neil
Graphic by Isabel Cortese
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