Dec. 19, 2005
Many things can happen during the course of a soccer season, some are expected and others are unexpected. The Fairfield University men's soccer team had a little of both scenarios during the 2005 campaign.
While many knew that Head Coach Carl Rees would have his team primed and ready for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference season, not many foresaw the success that the campaign would present. Granted, the Stags are always in the hunt for the conference championship, but this year had an added twist.
For the first time in school history, Fairfield rolled through the MAAC regular-season with an unbeaten record, finishing up with an 8-0-1 mark to capture the regular-season championship and the top seed in the 2005 MAAC tournament. Plus, the Stags gained national recognition for their incredible run by moving into the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) top 25 poll once again, reaching as high as number 20 thanks to a 13-4-3 overall record.
But, not all wins are judged equally by the national poll voters, and Fairfield certainly had its share of impact victories. Right from the start, the Stags made their mark with an impressive win over Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) opponent North Carolina State on the Wolfpack's home field in the season opener. The team finished second in the NC State tournament, losing to Elon University in the championship game by a 1-0 count.
The Stags began a three-game series with Ivy League opponents, starting with the home opener against Yale University. Vasilis Androutsos tied the game at 1-1 with a goal in the 78th minute, which allowed Fairfield to leave Lessing Field with a tie against the regionally-ranked Bulldogs. A few days later, Androutsos mirrored his accomplishment with a goal in the 74th minute at Dartmouth, resulting in another 1-1 draw.
Fairfield broke through against the Ancient Eight with a 1-0 win against Columbia University in the first game of the Stony Brook tournament, but came up short in the title tilt against Lafayette, 1-0. The Stags came up short against its final Ivy League opponent, a 2-1 setback at Harvard University on September 23.
Rees and his lads entered the Fairleigh Dickinson game determined to show that they could compete with the nationally-ranked teams. The Stags proved that and some with a 2-0 win over the seventh-ranked Knights at Lessing Field, sending the 1,000-plus fans onto the field for a post-game celebration. Sam Bailey assisted on Androutsos' game-winning goal at 51:32, and followed up with an insurance goal 14 minutes later.
The Fairleigh Dickinson win was important for two reasons - it was another win against a nationally-ranked opponent and started a 12-game unbeaten streak that would last through the regular-season. The string continued with a 2-1 win over Iona College in the conference opener, as freshman Aldo Hope tallied the game-winner late in the second half. Despite driving rain, Fairfield managed to split a pair of games the following week, defeating Adelphi University by a 5-0 count and tying Saint Peter's College at 0-0.
Fairfield's dominance continued the rest of the regular season and into the MAAC tournament, outscoring the opposition by a 23-2 count to improve its overall record to 13-3-3 overall heading into the MAAC tournament final against Marist College. The team outscored its MAAC competition by a 22-3 count, including a 1-0 win over Loyola College on the road.
The Stags came up short against the Red Foxes in the championship game, which was televised nationally on ESPNU. Despite the national ranking and 12-game unbeaten streak during the regular season, the Stags were not given an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. Fairfield played several teams that advanced to the national tournament, including the season-opening win over North Carolina State.
Despite being overlooked, Head Coach Carl Rees and his lads were still recognized for their achievement. Androutsos and Bailey both earned a spot on the NSCAA All-New England team. The duo joined Andrew Frankel on the All-MAAC first team, while Kerr McLeod, Ed Meyer, Tom Skara, Mike Troy, and Hope were second team selections. Tom Clements, Mike Lentine, Jesse Sutherland, McLeod, and Hope were named to the MAAC All-Rookie team, with McLeod collecting the MAAC Rookie of the Year award.
A winning record, national ranking, and post-season awards were all part of the 2005 men's soccer season, all of which have become the norm for the Fairfield University men's soccer team.
