ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany men's soccer team returns home after two games through the BIG EAST to host Marist.
 
Game Info
Tuesday, September 7 vs. Marist (7:00 pm)
Live Stats | AE.tv
 
Leading the Pack

• Haflidi Sigurdarson has scored both goals for UAlbany this season
• UAlbany returns its five leading scorers from the 2021 spring season, including top scorer Adam Aoumaich (4 goals, 1 assist) and 2019 America East Striker of the Year Austin DaSilva (2 goals, three assists)
• UAlbany's roster features 15 new players
• Marist goalkeeper Sameul Ilin was named 2019 MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year, boasting a .720 save percentage with 67 total saves during that season
• After utilizing a unique three-pod scheduling format during the spring 2021 season, the America East will return to its regular round-robin format for the fall 

Scouting Marist
Following their game on Saturday against St. John's, Marist is 2-1-0 through three games this season with victories in against Saint Joseph's and the Red Storm, and one loss to Navy.  The Red Foxes were picked fifth in the 2021 MAAC Preseason Poll, behind Quinnipiac, Fairfield, Monmouth, and Rider.  Marist returns 2019 MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year Samuel Ilin, as well as 60% of the teams total scoring from the 2019 season that ended in the MAAC semifinal round.  In four games against Marist since the 2016 season, UAlbany is 2-1-1, and each game that has not resulted in a draw was decided by one goal.
 
Last Time vs. Marist
Austin DaSilva and Kaio DaSilva each scored in the Great Danes last matchup with Marist during the 2019 season en route to a 2-1 victory over the Red Foxes.  K. DaSilva scored first, in the 35th minute, to put UAlbany up 1-0., before A. DaSilva doubled the Great Danes' lead in the 82nd.  Marist scored a goal in the 89th to avoid the shutout.
 
Last Time Out
UAlbany secured its second victory of the season, defeating Villanova on the road 1-0 in the team's second-straight road game against an opponent from the BIG EAST.  Despite Villanova's defense holding UAlbany without a shot in the first half, UAlbany's defense held tough, turning away nine first-half Wildcats' shots.  In the 73rd minute, Haflidi Sigurdarson successfully converted a penalty kick to break the scoreless tie, and UAlbany's defense held through the remainder of the game to clinch the win by the same score, 1-0.
 
Around the America East
Heading into Labor Day weekend, New Hampshire and Vermont are undefeated and untied through their first three games.  UMBC and Hartford are the only remaining winless teams in the conference.  UAlbany is currently tied for third at 2-1-0 overall with Binghamton and Stony Brook, just ahead of UMass Lowell at 1-1-1.
 
Tuesday's America East Games

• Princeton at Vermont, 4:00 pm
• Binghamton at Siena, 4:00 pm
• New Hampshire at Northeastern, 6:00 pm
• UMass Lowell at Holy Cross, 6:00 pm
• Marist at UAlbany, 7:00 pm

Two-for-Two
Through UAlbany's first three games of the 2021 fall season, and two Great Dane victories, Haflidi Sigurdarson has accounted for each UAlbany goal scored.  He scored the game winner in a 1-0 victory in the season opener against Fairfield, off assists from Andrew Weiner and Giuliano Lucca, and then scored on a penalty kick to knock off Villanova.
 
Picked Fourth
The Great Danes were picked fourth in the 2021 America East Preseason Coaches' Poll.  Three-time defending champion New Hampshire was picked as the unanimous favorite, ahead of Vermont and NJIT.  UAlbany edged out a pack of four teams separated by a total of five points: UAlbany (33), UMass Lowell (31), UMBC (30), and Hartford (28).
 
Familiar Foes
Due to the America East's implementation of a unique three-pod scheduling format for the 2021 spring season, UAlbany played six conference games against a total of four conference opponents (Binghamton, Hartford, UMBC, and Vermont).  This season, the Great Danes will return to their full round-robin conference slate to once again play every other team in the America East, including three-time defending champion New Hampshire, as well as the first-ever game against NJIT as a conference opponent.
 
New Look
Despite returning its top five scorers from the 2021 spring season, the fall 2021 Great Danes feature 15 new players on the roster.  The new recruits hail from a total of seven countries, incuding the United States, adding to the diverse background that already exists within Coach Gorman's program.
 
Finishing Strong
After starting the 2021 spring season 0-4-1, the Great Danes rallied down the stretch to win three of their final four games of the season by a total score of 8-3.  UAlbany claimed victory over both of its pod opponents, Binghamton and postseason-bound Hartford during the stretch, avenging earlier-season losses to both squads.
 
Next: UAlbany hosts Lafayette on September 10.