The Iona Gaels are off to a 2nd place start in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference with a 4-1 record.

Iona was back in action on a rainy Oct. 19 afternoon at Mazzella Field against the Loyola Greyhounds.

The Greyhounds found the back of the net in the 31st minute after junior forward Stephen Dooley placed the ball into the left corner past sophomore goalie Borja Barbero.

In the second half, the Greyhounds were back on the attack. Freshman Larry Ndjock headed the ball into the back of the net to give Loyola a 2-0 lead. About three minutes later, Ndjock and sophomore Connor Thompson broke out to a two-on-one attack, and Ndjock put away his second goal of the match as well as a team high 9th goal of the season.

The Gaels got on the board in the 71st minute after senior captain Alvaro Torrecilla converted on a penalty kick for his third goal of the season, and helped cut the deficit to 3-1.

Iona was unable to come back and settled with their first loss in conference play. The Greyhounds currently sit atop of the conference at 5-1 along with Siena who the Gaels have yet to play.

Two days after their first conference defeat, the Gaels took on the Rider Broncs at Mazzella Field. Iona senior forward Ansger Otto stole the show for the Gaels scoring his first division one hat-trick and had an assist to lift Iona over Rider in a 6-5 goal-filled game.

“I thank God and my teammates without all them this would have not happened. I give my team all the credit from the coaches to the players,” said Otto regarding his hat-trick.

The Gaels first goal came in the 6th minute when Torrecilla scored his fourth goal of the year assisted by Otto and junior Samuel Adjei.

Otto netted his first goal of the game in the 26th minute. Junior Franklin Castellanos chipped a brilliant ball into the box where Otto easily controlled it off of his chest and ripped a shot on the volley into the lower left corner.

Rider responded towards the end of the first half when senior forward Dave Benavidez scored his fourth goal of the year and cut the lead to 2-1.

The second half was filled with constant action and eight combined goals. Otto started the scoring spree in the 54th minute. Senior captain Robbie Krohmer passed Otto the ball at midfield and the agile, technically gifted forward maneuvered through Rider’s defense and netted his second goal of the match.

Less than a minute later, the Gaels went ahead 4-1 after freshman Saul Ortega found Adjei who scored his third goal of the year.

Not even four minutes later, Rider cut the deficit in half after senior forward Dan Friga scored his second goal of the season. Adjei scored his second goal of the match less than a minute later for his fourth of the year, assisted by sophomore sensation Ignacio Maganto, to put the Gaels back ahead 5-2.

Rider continued to attack to try and pull even. Sophomore Jens Warncke scored his first collegiate goal in 63rd minute. In the 79th minute, Warncke scored his second goal off of a corner kick to cut the lead to 5-4.

Otto completed his hat-trick performance in the 82nd minute. Castellanos applied heavy pressure on a Broncs defender forcing a turnover and dribbled the ball down the sideline, he cut in towards the box and found Otto alone who stopped the ball, and with ease lifted it right over the goalkeeper and put the Gaels back up 6-4.

The final goal of the match was less than thirty seconds later by freshman Matti Grahle for his second of the year, but it wasn’t enough for Rider to pull off the comeback.

Otto’s remarkable performance also earned him MAAC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

“It’s great being recognized but soccer is a team sport and without my teammates and coaches all this would not be possible, I just go on the field and do my job to put my team in a better place to win,” said Otto.

The Maroon & Gold will be on the road their next two games against Canisius and Niagara. They will wrap up the season at home against Siena and Marist.