After three matches without a goal, Siena Men's Soccer looked to be on its way to a fourth. That was, until Nick Fernandes entered the conversation. The graduate student came off the bench late into the match and scored the game-winning, 90th minute goal to propel the Saints to a crosstown rivalry victory over the University at Albany Great Danes on Thursday evening. 
 
With the win, Siena has now claimed each of its last four meetings with UAlbany dating back to 2011.
 
Fernandes' tally came with just 46 seconds remaining in the match on what was the Saints' sixth and final shot on goal. Cole Hellert registered three of the team's looks on target, while the other two came from Olafur Freysson and Joseph DiPreta. The Great Danes put up five shots on net in, two of which came from Timo Jansen. 
 
Bennet Glinder's five saves on the night lowered his season goals against average to 0.25 en route to his first victory of the season. His counterpart, Parker Kump, stopped five of six Siena shots on goal in the losing effort. 
 
Led by Eric Svensson, Henrik Winkelmann, and company on the back line, the Saints defensive group aided Glinder in keeping the Great Danes off the board through the first half with precise position on the Danes' attack. Gilder did, however, stop both UAlbany shots on goal in the first 45 minutes of play. 
 
For Siena, Freysson and DiPreta had two solid looks on target in the half, but both were corralled by Kump. 
 
The second half provided more spark from both attacks, with the sides combining for 17 shots (10-7 Siena) over the final 45 minutes of play. It wasn't until the 84:16 mark and the 17th total shot of the half when one side broke loose. 
 
That instance came to be Nick Fernandes' heroic moment. The Patterson, NY native found himself in perfect position to strike for his first goal since 2021 that lifted the Saints to their first victory of the 2024 campaign. 
 
Siena (1-1-2) is set to take the pitch next when it hits the road to take on Big East foe UConn on Monday, September 9. The match is set for 7 p.m. in Storrs, CT.