Iona suffers loss in MAAC quarterfinals after accomplished season
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — On Sunday, Oct. 31, the Iona women’s soccer team lost to the No. 4 ranked Siena Saints in the MAAC quarterfinals with the final score of 2-0. This concluded a historic season for the Gaels, who had many impressive individual and collective achievements which earned them a well-deserved playoff berth.
After a slow start to the beginning of their season with a losing record of 5-8, the Gaels were unstoppable during the latter half of their 2021 campaign. They closed out their season on a six-game win streak, the longest string of wins that Iona has had in the new millennium. The Gaels were propelled by their staunch defense, as they were 9-0 when they scored the first goal. The team finished with a record of 11-8, which qualified for the fifth seed in the MAAC. This is the women’s soccer team’s second-best win total since 1992, the year they won their last MAAC Championship.
The Gaels’ playoff push was spurred by stellar performances from their star players. Emma Havrilla, the Gaels’ senior goalkeeper, was simply dominant. She earned MAAC Defensive Player of the Week three times during the season and had six shutout games.
Kedarjah Lewis, the Gaels鈥� freshman forward, provided her team with a much-needed scoring boost and was rewarded with the MAAC Rookie of the Year Award and All-MAAC rookie team honors. Lewis is the third women鈥檚 soccer player in program history to earn this accolade. It was well-deserved as she led the Gaels鈥� leading scorer with five goals to go with 12 points, good for second-most on the team.
The Gaels also received consistent playmaking from Faith Preziosi, the team鈥檚 senior forward. She is currently Iona鈥檚 second-leading goal and point scorer, who has been dependable throughout her four years with the team. This season, she led the team in points with 14, which earned her a place on the All-MAAC second team.
However, the Gaels鈥� accomplished season has come to an end after a quick playoff exist against the Saints. Iona鈥檚 loss to Siena in the MAAC quarterfinals was their 11th straight loss against this sports program. The Gaels hope to regroup and return to the playoffs next season.
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