Siena Men’s Soccer (2-3-1) got out to a quick start on the road Saturday afternoon, but could not keep Iona (2-2) from rallying back to win on its home turf. The Saints scored early, but dropped a 2-1 decision to the Gaels at Mazzella Field in New Rochelle, New York.

 

The Saints, who have gotten scoring contributions from nine different players this season, saw the first collegiate goal from freshman Bilal Hersi in the sixth minute of the match, with sophomore Antonio La Gamba notching his third assist of the season on the play. Iona kept the pace of the game at-bay in the remainder of the first half, out-shooting Siena, 5-2, and garnering the only two corner kicks of the first half.

 

Iona, who would go on to hold a 15-3 advantage in shots on the day and attempt all three corner kicks, evened the score in the 20^th minute of play, with Lenworth Lopez capitalizing on a corner kick opportunity. The Gaels’ Edu Calvo-Salinas would notch the game-winner in a low shot that came in the 63^rd minute, with Iona holding firm defensively for the remainder of the match.

 

The Green and Gold saw shots from Hersi, La Gamba, and junior Birgir Thorsteinsson in the loss, while junior goalkeeper Greg Monroe recorded a season-high six saves in-between-the-pipes.

 

With the 2021 MAAC Tournament set to begin in just over a week, Siena will conclude regular season action on Monday, April 5, with a road match at Niagara set to begin at 4 PM.