Niagara men’s soccer welcomes Manhattan for penultimate home game

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

• Last time out, the Purple Eagles were outdone by Saint Peter’s, 4-1, on Saturday, Oct. 13. Mbongeni Tshuma got the lone Niagara goal in the 87th minute against the Peacocks.
• Tshuma is tied with Luca Pacheco for the team lead with four goals this season.
• The game at Saint Peter’s was the first of the season that Steve Casey did not start in net. This season, Casey holds a 1.95 goals-against average and has made 50 saves so far this year.

• Three of Manhattan’s previous four outings have gone into overtime. They fell, 2-1, in double overtime to Quinnipiac on October 6, then defeated Rider on October 10, 1-0, 21 seconds into the extra period. Their most recent game was a 1-0 loss at home to Iona, with the Gaels striking in the 97th minute for the win.
• The highlight of the Jaspers season so far was a 1-0 upset of then-25th-ranked Fordham at Gaelic Park on September 18.
• Through their first 15 games, Manhattan has played in eight shutout games, going 7-1-0 in those contests. Six of those were narrow 1-0 outings. Only one game all season has been decided by more than a two-goal margin, a 5-1 handling of VMI on September 7.
• Sophomore forwards Brandon Joseph-Buadi and Berti Fourrier lead the Jaspers’ offense with 12 (5 G, 2 A) and 11 points (3 G, 5 A), respectively.
• Manhattan has been twice as effective in net as its opponents. Marcellin Gohier and Micheal Kennedy have combined to post a 0.72 goals-against average, while the offense has worked opposing goalies to a 1.44 mark.
• This will mark the 30th matchup between the Jaspers and Purple Eagles. In 29 previous all-time meetings, Manhattan holds a 16-10-3 advantage. Most recently, Niagara dropped a 1-0 game at Gaelic Park last season. Two seasons ago, the Purple Eagles prevailed at home, 1-0, over the Jaspers.

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