POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (Sept. 13, 2024) – The No. 18 Fordham men's soccer team suffered its second straight road setback on Friday night, falling to Marist, 2-1, at Tenney Stadium.
With the loss, Fordham falls to 3-2-1 on the season while Marist improves to 2-4 with the victory.
Despite coming out on the wrong end of the decision, graduate student Carter Abbott registered a career-high 10 saves on the evening. In total, Marist outshot Fordham, 19-11, and placed 12 of those chances on target.
Fordham was playing without the services of center back Thomas Gray for the first time this season. Gray had started all five of the Rams' matches heading into Friday night.
The Rams' lone goal of the evening came less than three minutes into the contest, as Bennett Leitner took possession of the ball inside midfield and began a long run into the attacking third. Leitner drew the attention of a few Marist defenders before passing to D'Ippolito at the top left of the box. The junior captain unleashed on the ball and tucked it inside the far post for his team-leading fifth goal of the season.
Marist equalized in the 32nd minute when Richard Morel played a cross from the right side that was knocked into the net by a sliding Fordham defender.
Morel was credited with his second goal of the evening, the game-winner, in the 65th minute. The sequence began with a free kick outside the box toward the near post for Arian Ulaj. Ulaj sent a bouncing cross into the box toward Morel, who played it off his chest and into the net.
Fordham will return to action on Monday night when it welcomes Manhattan to Moglia Stadium for the annual Battle of the Bronx.
