NIAGARA UNIV. — The Purple Eagles men’s soccer team concluded its three-game home stand Thursday night as Niagara hosted the University at Buffalo Bulls. Buffalo took an early 1-0 lead, and after Niagara went a man down following a red card, the Bulls extended their lead to 3-0. Niagara fell to 1-4-1 on the season and concludes non-conference play at St. Bonaventure on Sunday afternoon.
Buffalo’s Russell Cicerone scored his NCAA-leading ninth goal of the season in the 15th minute. From the right wing, Braden Scales sprung Cicerone on a through ball, and the senior put his shot far to the left side past the outstretched arms of Casey. Zulfikar Karimi received his second yellow card of the game in the 35th minute, forcing Niagara to play the remainder of the game a man down. Niagara’s best chance of the first half came in the final minute before halftime. Josh Tufino crossed a pass from the left wing to the right side of the box to Navid Rahman. Rahman got a foot on it to deflect a shot on goal, but Buffalo’s Joseph Kuta turned the chance away.
Casey finished the first half with three saves, keeping the Purple Eagles within one until the second half.
The Bulls scored two goals less than three minutes apart early in the second half to advance the lead open to 3-0. Goals were scored by Scales and Cicerone. Niagara had a stellar chance to break the clean sheet in the 81st minute. Junior Sergio Lujan, making his first appearance of the season after missing five matches due to injury, fed a through ball for Adel Rahman. His shot from 15 yards out was turned away by Kuta, who ran out of his net to take away the angle.
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