Sept. 9, 2006
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. -- Playing five straight road games to start your season is not an easy task, especially when you hit that fifth game of the swing. While The Fairfield University men's soccer team faced that challenge over the last two weeks, the task was handled in stride as the team ended its two-week road trip with a 3-1 win over Adelphi University. The win improved Fairfield's overall record to 3-2, while Adelphi fell to 1-4 overall.
Alex Cunliffe scored a pair of goals in the opening 10 minutes that allowed the Stags to relax after playing four pressure-filled games in back-to-back tournaments in an eight-day period. The senior put Fairfield in the lead five minutes into the game when he accepted a pass from junior Mike Vanasse, who found Cunliffe open in the box with a cross from 15 yards away. Cunliffe controlled the ball and chipped it over the goalkeeper for the 1-0 advantage.
Freshman Paul McQuade started the second scoring play just a few minutes later when he put the ball on goal with a shot from about 25 yards out. Cunliffe put his head on the ball and directed past the goalkeeper to double the Fairfield lead at 2-0.
Rookie Christian Uy put the game out of reach five minutes into the second half when he went up to secure a loose ball, and pushed it past the goalkeeper with a header to make the score 3-0. Adelphi averted the shutout with a goal in the 83rd minute as Patrick Figueiredo found an opening inside the box and caught the corner of the net.
Fairfield goalkeeper Jon Paul Francini made three saves to earn his third win of the season. The Panthers goalkeeper Michael Hurley tallied a pair of saves over the 90-minute contest.
The Stags will have a long break until they return to action on September 20, opening the home portion of their schedule against the University of Hartford. Game time is slated for 7 pm at Lessing Field.
