Men’s Soccer Meets Cross-Town Rival Siena on Wednesday at Bob Ford Field
ALBANY, N.Y.- University at Albany men’s soccer (1-4-2) faces Siena (3-2-0) at Bob Ford Field on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 7:00 p.m.
UAlbany enters the match against the Saints after posting a 1-1 tie at Monmouth last Friday. Sophomore forward Philip Persson gave the Great Danes the tying goal in the 87th minute on a pass from Kit Alexieff to force overtime.
Also getting in on the scoring action so far this season is Brandon Wilson, Phil Denara and Dominic McGarr. McGarr scored in a 2-1 loss to Cal State Fullerton on opening weekend. Denara and Wilson scored a goal apiece in a 2-1 victory against then-No.22 Fairleigh Dickinson on Sept. 15. The win against the Knights was the first for the Great Danes this season, with Denara and Wilson handing Fairleigh Dickinson their first goals against of 2013. It was also the first win recorded on the newly-opened Bob Ford Field.
The game will be broadcast on Time Warner Cable Sports from Bob Ford Field.
SERIES HISTORY:
- UAlbany leads the all-time series in Division I 7-4-1
- The Great Danes have been shut out by the Saints in the last two meetings, including a 1-0 loss on Sept. 25, 2011 and a 2-0 loss on Sept. 23, 2013
- Both losses occurred in Loudonville
- UAlbany won the first four Division I meetings dating back to 2001
- Shaun Kane recorded the only hat trick in UAlbany Division I history against Siena in 2008 in a 3-0 win for the Great Danes
SCOUTING SIENA:
The Saints (3-2) enter the meeting with UAlbany with a winning record for the first time since 2009, when they were 4-2. Siena opened the season with a 4-1 win at Sacred Heart. The Saints then fell 1-0 to UAlbany America East opponent Hartford 1-0. After rebounding with a 1-0 win against Buffalo, the Saints lost 2-0 to Bucknell on Sept. 15. Siena is fresh off of a 4-1 win against Saint Joseph’s last Wednesday.
James Beeston leads all Saints on offense with three goals and three assists. He was named MAAC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 4 after tallying six points in the team’s 4-1 win against Sacred Heart. The senior captain was also named a candidate for the Senior CLASS Award on Aug. 21.
Matt Needham also garnered MAAC Offensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 24 after scoring his first two career goals against Saint Joseph’s.
