FINAL SCORE
Monmouth 1 (2-0-1)
Iona 1 (1-0-2)
 
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Erik Reis' goal gave the Hawks the early advantage in a hard-fought 1-1 tie between the Monmouth University men's soccer team and Iona University on Sunday night.
 
The Hawks brough the energy early as Monmouth needed just 6:52 to get on the board. Erik Reis rifled a shot from the top near corner of the box into the net as the home team claimed a 1-0 lead. 
 
Three saves from Eryk Dymora in a just over 10-minute span kept Iona off the board. 
 
Reis looked like he had a chance at a second one in the 32nd minute but Fernando Schmelz came up with a save for Iona. 
 
Dymora made another big stop in the final minute of the period, which allowed the Hawks to take the 1-0 edge into the halftime break. 
 
The match continued to be a hard-fought battle in the second half. Both the Gaels and the Hawks registered two shots in the first 10 minutes of the period. 
 
Monmouth put a shot on net in the 63rd minute as Patrick Osiecki launched one but Schmelz came up with the stop. 
 
A goal from Sergio Gonzalez Fernandez in the 79th minute allowed Iona to tie things up on the scoreboard. 
 
Monmouth got off three more shots in the final 10 minutes as the Hawks settled for a 1-1 tie with Iona.

NOTES AND QUOTES
"Tonight was a game of two halves. We were the better team in one half and Iona the better in the other. Both teams deserve credit for an entertaining college soccer game. The boys are excited to get to the start of the CAA matches coming up."
 – Monmouth Men's Soccer Head Coach Robert McCourt 
 
- Monmouth moved to 2-0-1 on the year with the tie. The Hawks are undefeated through three matches for the first time since the 2021 campaign.
- The Hawks moved to 16-9-1 all-time against Iona. It was the first meeting since the 2021 season between the former conference foes. 
- Erik Reis scored for the second straight match. Reis is tied for the team lead with two goals scored through three contests.
- Jakob Friedman tallied his team-leading third assist of the season.
- Eryk Dymora's seven saves matched the redshirt junior's career-high for saves in a game. 

NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Both teams took 16 shots in the contest, the Hawks powered off 11 of their shots in the second half.
- Each team had three corner kicks on the evening. 
- Eryk Dymora made seven saves in the tie. 
- Fernando Schmelz registered two saves for Iona in the tie.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth is back in action on Saturday, Sept. 7 when it opens Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play by hosting Stony Brook at 7 p.m.