JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Three first-half goals by opposing Saint Peter’s put the Purple Eagles men’s soccer team in an early hole on the road. Niagara mustered eight shots on goal after halftime, but all eight were turned away by Peacocks goalkeeper Jamie Cleland. The Purple Eagles conclude their two-game road trip Saturday with another MAAC contest against the Fairfield Stags.
Saint Peter’s opened the scoring on the first shot of the game in the fifth minute, as Luke Fairlamb’s cross into the box found Louis Mobbs for the score. Mobbs made it 2-0 Saint Peter’s just past the 22-minute mark with a helper from Michael Crentsil. Gabrielle Bandetti made it 3-0 Peacocks in the 40th minute, and Niagara turned to Joel Gerberich in goal to start the second half.
After being outshot 7-0 in the first 45 minutes, Niagara held a 14-1 advantage in that category during the second half. Niagara also had nine second-half corner kicks after having none in the first. Shiquan Lowe, Absalom Solorio Villalpando, and Bautista Pedezert all had shots on goal in the first 10 minutes after halftime. Lowe finished with a match-high four shots and three shots on goal. Mbongeni Tshuma, Mackenzie Roach and Owen Carter also had shots on goal in the match. Despite the eight shots on goal in the second half, all eight were turned away by Saint Peter’s goalkeeper Jamie Cleland.
Head coach Bill Boyle said, “We were very poor first half, but give credit to Saint Peter’s, they are a good team. We came back with everything we had in the second half, but couldn’t get out of the hole we dug.”
Niagara heads to Fairfield on Saturday before the team wraps up the 2016 regular season with three of its final four games at Niagara Field. Opening kick on Saturday between the Purple Eagles and Stags is set for 7 p.m.
from PurpleEagles.com via IFTTT
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