NIAGARA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
ITHACA, N.Y. — A season-high nine corner kicks and six shots on target were not enough to lift the Niagara men’s soccer team to victory on Friday evening. The Purple Eagles surrendered two goals inside the final 10 minutes and dropped the contest 3-1.
Match Moments
- 8′ – Mbongeni Tshuma found himself right in front of the Cornell net and unleashed two rapid shots, but both attempts were turned aside by the keeper to keep the game scoreless.
- 14′ – A wild scramble off an Absolom Solorio Villalpando corner kick ended when Dylan Avila had his shot blocked out of play, resulting in a second Niagara corner in an 18-second span. His kick found its way to Luca Pacheco, who rose to head the ball into the net and provide Purple Eagles with a 1-0 lead.
- 30′ – The Big Red tested the back end, churning out three shots and one corner kick in 45 seconds. Steve Casey made a save on the first shot, while the second was blocked and the third missed the mark.
- 35′ – Bautista Pedezert got two shots off just minutes apart, as both teams traded sustained moments of possession and chance.
- 67′ – Following a 64th-minute corner kick for Cornell, the Big Red had two shots blocked but kept the ball in the Niagara end. The next two shots were both rejected by Casey to keep the score level.
Coach’s Corner
- Head coach Bill Boyle: “All I can say is we deserved better and it shouldn’t have been a 3-1 game. The final score didn’t reflect our effort. I’m confident our guys’ day will come.”
Up Next
- The Purple Eagles make their first appearance of the regular season at Niagara Field on Wednesday, Sept. 26. The Siena Saints will be the opponent, with opening kick set for 4 p.m.
