Marist Downs Fordham in 4-2 Victory

By Harrison Baker

BRONX — The Marist men’s soccer team (2-0-1) secured a decisive 4-2 road victory over Fordham (2-2-1) on Friday night at Moglia Stadium. The Red Foxes’ potent offense started strong and finished even stronger, with a crucial late-game goal sealing the win.

Marist took control early in the first half, creating numerous scoring opportunities and putting pressure on the Rams’ defense. The breakthrough came at the 5:18 mark when sophomore midfielder Arion Ulaj scored his first goal of the season on a header off a corner kick, assisted by defender Evan Marques. Marist extended its lead to 2-0 in the 34th minute, as Gijs Verheul found the back of the net, assisted by Kyle Evans. The Red Foxes outshot Fordham 15-7 in the first half.

The second half brought a flurry of goals and a renewed energy from both sides. Marist initially extended its lead to 3-0 in the 61st minute with a goal from Caio Cavaletti, assisted by Chris Verheul and Adriano Iannello. However, the Rams mounted a fierce comeback, scoring two quick goals less than a minute apart. Nicholas Di Sessa netted one for Fordham at 66:29, followed by an unassisted goal from Andre Insalaco at 67:05, cutting Marist’s lead to 3-2.

With the momentum shifting, Marist stood firm. In the 86th minute, Gijs Verheul scored his second goal of the night, off an assist from Jonathan Salguero, to put the game out of reach and secure the 4-2 victory. Goalkeeper Jamie Lowell earned the win for the Red Foxes, recording five saves.