NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. - The Fairleigh Dickinson men's soccer team (3-5-2, 1-0-1 NEC) seeks to continue their recent success as Northeast Conference play continues in the fall 2021 campaign with a Sunday afternoon fixture at Merrimack (3-6-1, 2-0-0 NEC). Kickoff from Martone-Mejail Field is scheduled for 2 p.m. live on NEC Front Row.
Match Info
FDU (3-5-2, 1-0-1 NEC) at Merrimack (3-6-1, 2-0-0 NEC)
Sunday, October 3, at 2 p.m. -- Martone-Mejail Field (North Andover, Mass.)
Coverage:
NEC Front Row |
Live Stats
In-Match Updates:
@FDUKnightsMSOC
Tickets
All-Time Series
FDU trails 0-1-1
Streak...T1
First Meeting...11/3/19 (Merrimack 2, FDU 1 [2OT])
Last Meeting...3/29/21 (FDU 0, Merrimack 0 [2OT])
Scouting the Warriors
Merrimack hits their home pitch for the second-consecutive time on Sunday, having just beat Howard by a 5-0 tally on Thursday, September 30. The Warriors previously bested Saint Francis U (Pa.) in their NEC opener 1-0 on September 26. Senior Frantz Pierrot recorded a hat trick (three goals scored) for the home side en route to their shutout routing of the Bison. For Pierrot, the multi-goal outing was his second at Merrimack - the first coming at St. Francis Brooklyn back on March 3, 2021 - making him an offensive threat heading into Sunday's game. In addition to Pierrot, fellow senior Stefano Pesenti currently sits as the side's points leader through eight games played (started each). Pesenti's 10 points were each earned off his own goals, scoring five on the season through just about the midway point. In goal, freshman Alvaro Rodriguez sits as the probable Warrior starter for the bout with FDU. Logging over 900 minutes in fall 2021, Rodriguez has recorded 66 saves and sits with a personal record of 3-6-1 - matching that of his team.
Scouting the Knights
For the Burgundy and Blue, the spark is burning bright as Seth Roland's squad looks to continue their unbeaten streak in NEC action this season. In the team's last outing on Thursday, September 30, the Knights bested Saint Francis U (Pa.) by a 2-0 margin with sophomore Jeremy Opong and senior captain Ideal Shefqeti each contributing a goal in FDU's first NEC victory of the season. Assisted by Shefqeti in the 19', the Brampton, Ontario, Canada native opened the scoring affair with a header, following Shefqeti's header of an assist, to put the team up 1-0. Shefqeti's turn to earn two points would come later in the game when the midfielder from Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy connected with sophomore Tony Gomez to seal the deal for the home team in a 2-0 shutout victory. Redshirt junior goalkeeper Spencer King earned his sixth start of the season and logged four saves in the fixture against Saint Francis U (Pa.), facing a total of five shots. Graduate student defender Stefano Pesce made his ninth appearance and eighth start of the season on Thursday, playing the full distance of the match for the fourth time this season (including 2OT v. Lehigh). As an aside, both the Knights and Warriors were selected to finish fourth in the NEC preseason coaches poll.
Coach Roland's Thoughts
"This game has the makings of an epic battle between two teams that are capable of imposing their style of play onto an opponent on a given day. Merrimack is coming off a huge win away at Saint Francis [U (Pa.)] followed by a 5-0 drubbing of Howard. They are experienced and very dangerous in attack. We are hoping to prove that we are worthy opponents and look forward to competing hard and effectively like we did this past Thursday evening."
What's Next
FDU hits the road again on Sunday, October 10, at Bryant for a 3 p.m. tilt with the Bulldogs in Smithfield, R.I. as NEC play rolls on.
The 2021 men's soccer season is presented by Bogota Savings Bank.
