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NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara women's soccer team takes on cross-town rival Canisius on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 7:00 p.m. in the teams' annual Battle of the Bridge meeting. The match will air live on ESPN3.
On the Field: Niagara Purple Eagles (2-5-1, 1-1-0 MAAC)
- Senior forward Laura Ortiz leads the team with three goals and 16 total shots.
- Kori Thorne and Courtney Betts both have recorded 12 shots this season.
- Niagara is tied for most shutouts in the MAAC with three.
- Shania van Nuland has a 1.79 goals against average and has recorded 25 saves. She is tied for third in the MAAC in shutouts with two.
Last Time Out
- Niagara defeated Quinnipiac, the MAAC's top-scoring offense, 3-0 on Saturday, Sept. 24 for the Purple Eagles' first conference win of the season.
- Eva Bachmann opened scoring for the Purple Eagles in the 20th minute after Ortiz played her a ball on the top of the box. She finished first time into the bottom corner of the net.
- The roles switched on Niagara's second goal when Bachmann lobbed a through ball over the back line finding Ortiz who chipped the keeper in the 22nd minute.
- Qunnipiac's best chance came late in the first half direct from a free kick, but goalie Shangyne Samuels made a spectacular diving save to force a corner and preserve her shutout.
- Thorne put the game away in the 59th minute when she scored a header inside the box from a Bachmann cross. Bachmann finished the game with a team-high two assists.
- Samuels had a career day in net, not only recording her first career start, but also registering her first shutout and a career-high in saves with seven. Her outstanding performance earned her MAAC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Last Matchup with Canisius (3-5-0, 1-1-0 MAAC)
- The Purple Eagles and Canisius last met on Oct. 21, 2015. Niagara defeated the Golden Griffins, 1-0, in double overtime.
- Haillie Price scored the game-winning goal for the Purple Eagles in the 101st minute.
About Battle of the Bridge
- The Battle of the Bridge is an all-sports competition between Niagara and Canisius which enters its eleventh season in 2016-17.
- The bridge referred to in "Battle of the Bridge" is the Grand Island Bridge, which both teams must cross to get to each other's campuses.
- The winner of the Battle of the Bridge is awarded the Canal Cup.
- The winner is determined by a points system in which points are awarded to the winner of regular-season contests. Cross country, golf and swimming and diving are awarded points based upon the MAAC Championship standings.
- If there is a tie in total points at the end of the season, the Canal Cup stays in the possession of the school that won the previous season's battle.
- Canisius has claimed the Canal Cup the last six seasons (2010-16).
- There are a total of 33 points available to be earned. For both men's and women's soccer, the annual Battle of the Bridge match is worth two points.
Up Next
- Following Canisius, Niagara will host Rider on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 1:00 p.m.
- The Purple Eagles head to Siena on Wednesday, Oct. 5 and to Monmouth on Saturday, Oct. 8.
