CANISIUS COLLEGE ATHLETICS
Junior Melanie Linsmair netted her first goal of the season to help push the Blue and Gold to a 1-0 victory against St. Bonaventure Sunday afternoon at the Demske Sports Complex.
The win, which marks the end of the non-conference slate, moves Canisius to 5-2-0, and 4-0 at home this year. The Bonnies dropped to 0-6-1 with the loss, and were shut out for the sixth time on the season.
Linsmair put the Griffs ahead in the 48th minute after junior Emily Czechowski lofted a corner kick to the far post, deflecting off Linsmair, and past Bonnies sophomore netminder Lauren Malcolm, who made nine saves on the afternoon.
Canisius sophomore goalkeeper Alana Rossi added to her already exceptional career as she notched fourth shutout of the campaign, and ninth of her young career. The Fonthill, Ontario native, made one save, coming in the final :10 seconds of the match.
The Griffs held the 18-10 shots advantage for the contest, with Canisius putting a season-high 10 shots on net to the Bonnies one. St. Bonaventure assumed the 6-5 advantage in corner kicks.
Head Coach Todd Clark‘s Postgame Comments
“Overall, this was, without a doubt, our best energy and effort that our front group had put together. We took the lead, and control of the game, early on and were able to hold it against a Bonaventure team that fights until the end.”
“On Emily’s goal, I had worked with her extra prior the start game because she had been so poor in warm-ups, but all the credit goes to her, she played it across, and it was near perfect to Linsmair.”
Game Notes
• Canisius and St. Bonaventure have now collided 36 times since 1982, with the Blue and Gold leading the all-time series 20-14-2.
• Last season, the Griffs came away with the 2-1 win, now holding three-game unbeaten steak over the Bonnies.
• Rossi’s shutout is the ninth of her career, with seven coming on the home turf of the Demske Sports Complex.
• Czechowski, who recorded three assists in her career comin into the season, now has three in seven games this year, all three coming on corner kicks to three different Griffs.
• Canisius’ 5-2 non-conference record was the most wins since 2011, when the Blue and Gold went 5-4-1.
Up Next
The Griffs begin conference play Saturday, Sept. 16 as they travel to New Rochelle, N.Y., to face the Iona Gaels. Game time is set for 11 a.m.