The Sacred Heart University men’s soccer team will host its first-ever Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship Game on Sunday, Nov. 16 at Park Ave Field, with kickoff scheduled for 12 p.m.
This event marks a significant milestone for the program, as it is the first time Sacred Heart has reached and hosted the conference final. The Pioneers advanced after a dramatic 4-3 overtime victory against Fairfield University on Thursday evening at Park Ave Field. In that match, Sacred Heart outshot Fairfield in the first half and maintained possession for much of the opening period, leading 1-0 at halftime. Goalkeeper Luca Marinelli allowed three goals but made four saves during the contest.
Siena College, seeded second in the tournament, earned its place in the final by defeating Iona College 2-1 in overtime on Thursday afternoon. The Saints have compiled an overall record of 8-5-4 and a conference record of 6-1-3 this season. Key players include Lucas Almeida, who leads Siena with nine goals and was named to the All-MAAC First Team earlier in the week, and Campbell Stalker, who has contributed five goals and two assists. Junior goalkeeper Bennet Glinder was recognized on the All-MAAC Academic Team and has started all 17 games this season.
The two teams previously met this season on Oct. 11 at Hickey Field, where they played to a 1-1 draw.
The MAAC Men’s Soccer Championship is a six-team single-elimination tournament held from Nov. 9 to Nov. 16, with each match hosted by the higher seed and reseeding after each round. Sacred Heart secured its spot as top seed after winning against Rider University on Nov. 1, earning its first regular season championship title in program history.
