Box Score

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- Jordan Ayris scored a pair of goals to lead the Fairfield University men's soccer team to a 2-0 win over the University of Rhode Island at Lessing Field. The sophomore, who had not scored in the first six games of the season after leading the team a year ago, has tallied the team's last three goals. He started the run with the team's lone goal against the University of Denver last Sunday.

Both teams attacked frequently in the opening 10 minutes, but neither team was able to put anything on goal. It wasn't until Nuno Rodrigues put a shot wide of the goal in the 14th minute. Dan Shaw developed the Stags first legitimate chance with a shot on target that forced Rhode Island goalkeeper Thomas Spenser to make a save in the 23rd minute.

The Stags put together a combination that nearly resulted in a goal as Shaw and Ayris sent shots on goal but Spenser was again up to the task. The visiting team picked up its first shot on goal as Matt Ribbens took a point-blank shot that Fairfield goalkeeper Michael O'Keeffe caught without incident. Fairfield enjoyed a small 6-3 advantage in shots by the time the first half ended.

The home team finally broke through in the 51st minute as Jon Clements sent a precision pass over the Rams defense to space occupied by Ayris. The goalkeeper came off his line to challenge, but Ayris volleyed the ball over his head and into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. Ayris nearly doubled the lead in the 67th minute after a set play put the ball onto the sophomore's head, but the ball just went wide of the upper right corner.

Fairfield did secure its two-goal lead in the 72nd minute off a corner kick that found Adam Cowen in the box. His initial shot was saved by Spenser, but the ball landed on the feet of Ayris. He sent the ball back toward goal which caught the lower right corner for a 2-0 lead with 17 minutes remaining.

Rhode Island stepped its attack and applied pressure, but Fairfield's defense was able to clear all but two attempts. O'Keeffe was in line for those attempts and made two saves to keep his clean sheet intact. O'Keeffe finished the game with six saves, including four in the second half. Spenser and Adam Blanchard combined for seven saves for Rhode Island.

Fairfield begins a four-game road trip on October 2 when it heads to Brown University, a rematch of last year's NCAA tournament game. After Brown, the Stags will play three Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) games, beginning with an October 6 date with Iona College.