ALBANY, N.Y. — Siena defeated Marist 3-1 on Wednesday evening in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference matchup that saw the Saints surge in the second half to overcome an early deficit. The victory improved Siena's record to 6-5-4 overall while dropping Marist to 7-4-3 after the visiting Red Foxes' first loss in their last three contests.
Kyle Evans opened the scoring for Marist in the 1st minute with an assist from Arion Ulaj, giving the visitors an early advantage. However, Siena responded emphatically in the second half with three unanswered goals. Lee Mara equalized for the Saints in the 56th minute off an assist from Campbell Stalker. Lucas Almeida then scored twice for Siena—first in the 67th minute with an assist from Alejandro Perez Jorda, and again in the 75th minute with assists from Benjamin Fogarty and Campbell Stalker—to secure the 3-1 final margin.
The first half remained competitive but relatively even in terms of possession and attacking opportunities. Marist controlled portions of the opening 45 minutes following Evans' early breakthrough, but Siena created several chances to equalize. Bennet Glinder made multiple saves for the Saints, including stops on shots from Evan Marques in the 27th minute and Chris Verheul in the 33rd minute. Jamie Lowell, Marist's goalkeeper, also made a crucial save on Mario Navarro Perez's low-center attempt in the 28th minute. The teams combined for 15 corner kicks in the first half, with Marist earning eight and Siena seven, indicating sustained pressure from both sides. Evan Marques received a yellow card for unsporting conduct in the 23rd minute for Marist, while Siena made two substitutions at the 23-minute mark, bringing in Christian Amaral and Mario Navarro Perez. Marist made four substitutions at the 35-minute mark, replacing Skyler Cunha, Evan Marques, Chris Verheul, and Arion Ulaj with Miles Douglas, Jonathan Salguero, Benjamin Mills, and Caio Cavaletti respectively.
The second half witnessed a dramatic shift in momentum favoring Siena. After the halftime interval, both teams made additional substitutions. Siena brought back Campbell Stalker and Lee Mara while removing Martin Piedeleu and Mario Navarro Perez. Marist reintroduced Arion Ulaj, Chris Verheul, and Evan Marques. The Saints' attacking intensity increased noticeably, and their persistence paid dividends when Lee Mara found the back of the net in the 56th minute to level the match at 1-1. Karl Tchounjin received a yellow card for Siena in the 59th minute. Momentum continued to favor the home team, and Lucas Almeida broke through in the 67th minute to give Siena a 2-1 advantage. Almeida's second goal in the 75th minute essentially decided the contest, extending Siena's lead to 3-1. Chris Verheul earned a yellow card for Marist in the 71st minute, and Ethan Ortiz received one in the 86th minute as frustration mounted for the visitors.
Statistically, Marist outshot Siena 18-7 overall, but the Saints proved more efficient in front of goal. Marist recorded five shots on target compared to Siena's five, demonstrating that shot volume did not translate to scoring opportunities. Siena earned seven corner kicks to Marist's eight. Marist accumulated three yellow cards while Siena received one. Jamie Lowell made two saves for Marist while Bennet Glinder recorded four saves for Siena.
Lucas Almeida emerged as the match's standout performer, scoring twice and creating dangerous opportunities throughout the second half. Campbell Stalker provided crucial assists on two of Siena's three goals, demonstrating his importance to the Saints' attacking setup. Bennet Glinder's four saves proved vital in preserving Siena's victory, particularly his early-half stops that kept the match competitive when Marist held the lead.
Siena's second-half dominance reflected improved tactical execution and attacking cohesion. The Saints' substitutions at halftime energized their offense, particularly the return of Lee Mara and Campbell Stalker. Marist, despite controlling possession and shot attempts, struggled to create high-quality chances in the second half and appeared vulnerable to Siena's counter-attacking opportunities.
The result represents a significant confidence boost for Siena, which snapped a recent losing streak with this convincing home victory. For Marist, the loss halts momentum following a 3-1 victory over Rider on October 24th. Siena next faces Saint Peter's on November 1st, while Marist hosts Manhattan the same evening.