Struggles for Men’s Soccer continue following third straight MAAC loss

By Ryan Patota, Sports Reporter  

The Canisius Men’s Soccer team fell 2–0 to Saint Peter’s on Saturday, continuing their downward trend against MAAC opponents after initially starting conference play with a win.

The Griffs have now lost three straight games, falling to Iona and Siena before their loss to the Peacocks over the weekend. 

Despite the team’s efforts to emphasize fast starts to games, it was Saint Peter’s that controlled the pace of play, led by their senior forward Tim Strete. Strete scored in the 30th minute to break the shutout, and added his second goal of the game 30 seconds into the second half. His MAAC-leading ninth goal of the season was all the insurance the Peacocks needed to handle the Griffs.

Saint Peter’s more than doubled Canisius in shots on goal, producing seven to the Griffs’ three. Goalkeeper Dom Dominguez recorded five saves in the loss, and has been one of the bright spots for the men’s soccer team so far this season. The grad student has posted two shutouts this season, and was named MAAC Defensive Player of the Week back on Sept. 22.

“That award is more of a team performance thing,” Dominguez said regarding the honor, continuing that “There are ten other guys in front of me putting in the work for 90 minutes, making tackles, and keeping each other going. It meant a lot for the team.” 

The Griffs know that the results will eventually come, and they are committed to working on fixing their mistakes. “The effort is there, but it is disappointing the way that our pitch of playing is not working. We have great moments in games, but sometimes it’s those small lapses – just seconds that cost us. We are right there with every team; we just need to clean up those moments,” Dominguez explained. 

Following the shutout loss to the Peacocks, the Griffs fell to 3–6–1 overall and 1–3 in conference play. Their three points are currently tied for 10th in the MAAC standings. The team will come back home this upcoming Saturday to take on the Quinnipiac Bobcats at the Demske Sports Complex, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m.

Photo Courtesy of Canisius Athletics