PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Jack Burridge picked up a pair of assists in the first half to spot the Fairfield University men's soccer team a 2-0 lead at the end of the first half. But a three-goal spurt by Brown University in the final 10 minutes of the game proved to the difference as the Bears scored three times to post a 3-2 win in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Brown applied pressure early in the game but it was goalkeeper Michael O'Keeffe that kept the Stags in the game with several stellar saves that kept the game scoreless. The Bears took 15 first half shots but could not push anything by O'Keeffe as the goalkeeper finished with six saves in the opening half.
Fairfield broke through late in the first half when Jake Zuniga, who came off the bench just minutes earlier, took a chest pass from Burridge and one-timed a shot into the upper corner for a 1-0 lead. Just eight minutes later, Fairfield made it 2-0 when Burridge sent a cross to the center of the box. Dan Shaw leaped and put his head on the ball, deflecting a shot past the diving goalkeeper to put Fairfield ahead 2-0.
The Stags defense kept Fairfield off the board until the final 10 minutes of regulation. Sean Rosa put the Bears on the board when he converted passes from Taylor Gorman and Rob Medairos to make it a 2-1 game. Rosa played a role in the final two goals; the first was a result of his initial shot which was saved by O'Keeffe. The ball came back into play and T.J. Popolizio picked up the rebound and pushed it past the goalkeeper.
The deciding goal came with just over four minutes remaining when Rosa crossed the ball into the box where Aidan Leonard finished the play with a volley that caught the far corner and gave the home team a 3-2 lead.
O'Keeffe finished the game with eight saves and faced 27 shots. Brown goalkeeper Sam Kernan-Schloss picked up six saves and faced 12 shots.
The loss ended Fairfield's 13-game unbeaten streak and gave the team a final overall record of 12-5-1.
Brown applied pressure early in the game but it was goalkeeper Michael O'Keeffe that kept the Stags in the game with several stellar saves that kept the game scoreless. The Bears took 15 first half shots but could not push anything by O'Keeffe as the goalkeeper finished with six saves in the opening half.
Fairfield broke through late in the first half when Jake Zuniga, who came off the bench just minutes earlier, took a chest pass from Burridge and one-timed a shot into the upper corner for a 1-0 lead. Just eight minutes later, Fairfield made it 2-0 when Burridge sent a cross to the center of the box. Dan Shaw leaped and put his head on the ball, deflecting a shot past the diving goalkeeper to put Fairfield ahead 2-0.
The Stags defense kept Fairfield off the board until the final 10 minutes of regulation. Sean Rosa put the Bears on the board when he converted passes from Taylor Gorman and Rob Medairos to make it a 2-1 game. Rosa played a role in the final two goals; the first was a result of his initial shot which was saved by O'Keeffe. The ball came back into play and T.J. Popolizio picked up the rebound and pushed it past the goalkeeper.
The deciding goal came with just over four minutes remaining when Rosa crossed the ball into the box where Aidan Leonard finished the play with a volley that caught the far corner and gave the home team a 3-2 lead.
O'Keeffe finished the game with eight saves and faced 27 shots. Brown goalkeeper Sam Kernan-Schloss picked up six saves and faced 12 shots.
The loss ended Fairfield's 13-game unbeaten streak and gave the team a final overall record of 12-5-1.
