The Canisius men’s soccer team closes out the home portion of the 2016 regular-season on Saturday night when the Golden Griffins play host to Fairfield on Senior Night. Game time is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
Canisius overcame a 3-1 deficit with 20 minutes left in regulation time to earn a 3-3 draw with Siena Wednesday afternoon in Loudonville. After the host Saints scored two goals in the first 6:55 of the second half for a 3-1 cushion, Canisius cut the margin to 3-2 in the game’s 70th minute on a penalty-kick goal by senior Mathew Santos. For Santos, it was his first career penalty-kick goal, and the first for the team this season. The Blue and Gold evened the score in the 83rd minute on a goal by Alex Grattarola off a feed from teammate Melvin Blair. The goal was Grattarola’s third of the season, and the assist gives Blair four points in the team’s last two outings. Redshirt-junior goalkeeper Marco Trivellato made five stops in the game for Canisius, which posted a tie with Siena for just the second time in series history, which dates back to 1987.
Since being shutout at Iona Oct. 15, Canisius has scored a total of seven goals in its last three outings, including a season-high three markers in the tie at Siena on Wednesday. In their last three outings, the Griffs are 2-0-1. The seven goals scored since Oct. 19 account for 41 percent of the team’s scoring effort this season. Senior Mathew Santos has six points on the power of two goals and two assists in the Griffs’ last three outings. His six assists this season ranks third-best in the MAAC, and his 10 career assists ties him for 11th in school history. Sophomore Melvin Blair has been credited with four points in the team’s last two contests, highlighted by a three-point night in the Griffs’ 2-1 road win at Monmouth Saturday.
Canisius enters this weekend’s action ranked third in the MAAC in fewest goals allowed with 1.19 per outing, and the squad’s 1.14 goals against average also ranks third-best in the conference. Redshirt-junior Marco Trivellato ranks in the top-five in every goalkeeper statistical category within the MAAC. He boasts a 1.00 goals against average and a .795 save percentage
Fairfield has controlled the series with the Griffs, owning a 22-2-4 advantage in 28 all-time meetings. The Stags have won five-straight over the Griffs, with all five of those victories coming by just one goal. The last win for the Griffs in the series was in a 2010 meeting when Canisius earned a 1-0 victory at the Demske Sports Complex.
from GoGriffs.com via IFTTT
