Quinnipiac and Monmouth Advance to the 2020-21 MAAC Men’s Soccer Championship

Quinnipiac and Monmouth Advance to the 2020-21 MAAC Men’s Soccer Championship

Bookmark and Share

No. 1 Quinnipiac University – 2 | No. 5 Fairfield University – 1
2020-21 MAAC Men’s Soccer Championship – Semifinal
Quinnipiac Soccer & Lacrosse Stadium | Hamden, CT
 
Quinnipiac (7-1-0, 5-1-0 MAAC) found the back of the net in the 16th minute to take an early 1-0 nothing lead. In the 57th minute Brage Aasen extended the Bobcats lead to two, but just 46 seconds later Fairfield (4-3-1, 3-2-1 MAAC) answered to bring the game to 2-1. The Bobcats would go on to win the match by a final score of 2-1. Quinnipiac will face the sixth-seeded Monmouth Hawks in the MAAC Men’s Soccer Championship game in a rematch of the 2013 Championship. The game will be played on Saturday, April 17. Game time is to be determined. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN+.
 
Quinnipiac Notes
  • Quinnipiac will make its fourth championship game appearance since 2013 and will be seeking its second title. Their first championship came in 2013 when they defeated Monmouth in penalty kicks.
  • Tomas Svecula scored the game’s opening goal in the 16th minute. It was Svecula’s third goal of the season and his first postseason goal. Assisting on the goal were Jordan Bennett and David Bercedo. Bennett’s assist was his first point this season.
  • Bobcats leading scorer Aasen tallied his team-high fifth goal of the season, all five of his goals this season have come in the last four games. Aasen tally proved to be the game-winning goal.
  • Paulo Soares had the lone assist on Aasen’s game-winning goal, it was his fourth point (1g, 2a) on the season.
  • Aasen and Bercedo each had a team-high two shots.
  • Goalkeeper Jared Mazzola made his return to the field after not appearing in Quinnipiac’s last two games. Mazzola faced 11 shots and made two saves to tally his fourth win of the season.
  • With the win, Quinnipiac improves to 6-1-4 against Fairfield all-time.

Fairfield Notes
  • Thomas Drillien had the Stags only goal on the day, scoring just 46 seconds after Quinnipiac had tallied their second goal. The goal was Drillien second of the season.
  • Stags Jonathan Filipe had a game-high four shots, one of which was on goal.
  • Goalkeeper Gordon Botterill faced 10 shots.
 

No. 2 Rider University – 0 | No. 6 Monmouth – 2
2020-21 MAAC Men’s Soccer Championship – Semifinal
Ben Cohen Field | Lawrenceville, NJ
 
The sixth-seeded Monmouth Hawks (4-2-1, 2-2-1 MAAC) upset second-seeded Rider (3-1-1, 2-0-1 MAAC) to give the Broncs their first loss of the season and advance the Hawks to the championship game for the first time since 2015. Monmouth is the first sixth seed to advance to the MAAC Men’s Soccer Championship game since Fairfield in 2014, where the Stags fell to the Hawks 2-1 in the second overtime. Monmouth will travel to Quinnipiac for their fifth road match in their last six games. The Hawks are 14-6-4 all-time versus the Bobcats. The championship game will take place on Saturday, April 17. Game time is to be determined. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN+.
 
Monmouth Notes
  • Monmouth advances to its fourth MAAC Men’s Soccer Championship game and will be seeking their program’s second title.
  • Since falling behind to Niagara 3-1 at the half in the final regular season game Monmouth is outscoring their opponents 7-1.
  • Julian Gomez tallied the Hawks first goal, it was his team-high fourth goal of the season.
  • Sebastian Rodriguez recorded his second goal of the season and it was the Hawks insurance tally in the second half as he increased their lead to 2-0.
  • Ben Zakowski had assists on both of Monmouth’s goals. Bringing his season total to four which leads the team.
  • Gomez and Zakowski each had a team-high three shots, both having one on goal.
  • Goalkeeper Sean Murray was able to post his third clean sheet of the season after facing 14 shots, nine in the second half. Murray made a total of six saves.
  • The Hawks improved to 17-8-4 all-time against Rider.
 
Rider Notes
  • Broncs Zaki Alibou had a game-high five shots and three shots on goal.
  • Goalkeeper Pablo Gatinois faced 13 shots, nine in the first half, and made three saves.
  • Pablo DeCastro and Regius Dulack each recorded two shots and had one on goal.
 
 
2020-21 MAAC MEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Sunday, April 11 Match-Up Time Network
Quarterfinal #1* No. 2 Rider 4 vs. No. 7 Iona 1 2:00 p.m. ESPN+
Quarterfinal #2* No. 3 Niagara 1 vs. No. 6 Monmouth 2 2:00 p.m. ESPN+
Quarterfinal #3* No. 1 Quinnipiac 1 vs. No. 8 Siena 0 3:00 p.m. ESPN+
Quarterfinal #4* No. 4 Saint Peter’s 0 vs. No. 5 Fairfield 1 3:00 p.m. ESPN+
Wednesday, April 14
Semifinal #1* No. 2 Rider 0 vs. No. 6 Monmouth 2 4:00 p.m. ESPN+
Semifinal #2* No. 1 Quinnipiac 2 vs. No. 5 Fairfield 1 3:00 p.m. ESPN+
Saturday, April 17
Championship Game* No. 1 Quinnipiac  vs. No. 6 Monmouth TBA ESPN+

The 2020-21 MAAC Men’s Soccer Championship Game is scheduled for Sunday, April 17. Keep up with all MAAC soccer action by following @MAACSports on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and by searching #MAACSoccer.

About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40th year of competition during the 2020-21 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.