Sept. 19, 2011
Men's Soccer Gameday
Game #8: Stony Brook Seawolves (2-3-2) vs. Fairfield Stags (0-3-0)
Tue., Sept. 20 • LaValle Stadium • Stony Brook, N.Y. • 7 p.m.
LIVE: STATS | VIDEO
Stony Brook Seawolves (2-3-2, 0-0 America East)
Head Coach: Ryan Anatol, first season
Career Record: 2-3-2
Record at SBU: same
Fairfield Stags (0-3-0, 0-0-0 Metro Atlantic)
Head Coach: Carl Rees, 16th season
Career Record: 152-99-37
Record at Fairfield: same
The Scene: Stony Brook looks to capture a second straight victory as it wraps up its three-game homestand with a mid-week game against the Fairfield Stags. With a win, the Seawolves will climb back to the .500 mark as conference play looms in just 10 days. This is the first all-time meeting between these two teams despite the relative proximity to one another. Fairfield, Conn., is 28 miles north of Stony Brook across the Long Island Sound.
Last Time Out: The Seawolves stormed back from a second-half deficit to knock off Fairleigh Dickinson 2-1. The Knights went on top 1-0 after a 67th minute goal from Jonathan Gonzalez. Immediately, Stony Brook responded and went on the offensive as junior Berian Gobeil Cruz forced his way past a defender into the scoring box. Defenders collapsed on him, and one of them tripped him from behind, forcing a penalty kick. Gobeil Cruz converted to tie the game. With just six minutes left in overtime, junior Raphael Abreu then nailed the game-winning goal on a slicing kick off a pass from junior Leonardo Fernandes. Meanwhile, the defense, led by senior Kyle McTurk, did an outstanding job limiting FDU opportunities in the second half. The Knights had just two shot on goal in the second half, none after the Seawolves took the lead for good.
Scouting Fairfield: The Stags are off to an 0-3-0 start that includes the unfortunate cancellation of two games due to poor conditions in Upstate New York. The team has dropped road games to Boston College and Northeastern and a home game to Columbia. This will only be Fairfield’s second match in the last 18 days. Fairfield was picked to finish third in the 10-team MAAC behind Iona and Loyola. Jordan Ayris has posted both of Fairfield’s goals this season. Goalkeeper Michael O’Keeffe was the Preseason All-MAAC selection, but has allowed five goals in three matches so far.
Abreu Fuels Comebacks: The Seawolves came back from a 1-0 deficit to beat Fairleigh Dickinson, 2-1, last weekend, and it’s the third time since the start of the 2010 season that Stony Brook has overcome a deficit to win. Last season, the Seawolves fell behind Quinnipiac 2-0 in the first half only to come back and win 3-2. A few weeks later, SBU gave up a goal to Binghamton, only to force a tie a few minutes later and then win the game in overtime. In all three instances, Raphael Abreu has either scored or assisted on the game-winning goal.
The High Point of the Weekend: The Seawolves topped High Point 3-1 on Sept. 9 on the strength of goals by juniors Raphael Abreu, Kyle Schlesinger and Leonardo Fernandes. The win helped Stony Brook finish second at the four-team Flash Gordon Invitational, hosted by High Point University. The victory was the first in the career of head coach Ryan Anatol.
First Goal: Senior Steven Medwinter notched both the team's first goal of 2011 and his first career goal in a Stony Brook uniform. The goal came in the second half against Duquesne on Sept. 4 and helped the Seawolves to a 1-1 tie.
Main Manz: With a 0-0 tie against Lehigh in the regular season opener, junior goalkeeper Stefan Manz recorded his 10th career shutout. He had eight during the 2010 season.
Preseason Poll: The Seawolves were picked to finish fourth in the America East preseason poll, according to the league's eight head coaches. Stony Brook is behind defending champion UMBC, Boston University and New Hampshire.
Strong Incumbents: Stony Brook returns 18 letterwinners from last season's team that finish 10-7-3 and advanced to the America East Championship semifinals. Among the returnees are America East Midfielder of the Year Leonardo Fernandes and second-team All-America East forward Raphael Abreu. The team returns 92 percent of its goal scoring offense, and Fernandes, Abreu and Berian Gobeil Cruz combined to score 19 goals.
Going for the Title: The Seawolves previously have captured two America East Championships, winning titles in 2005 and 2009. The team will look to win its third championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament, where it previously has won with a 2005 victory over Yale.
