NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Behind junior goalkeeper Eric Sullivan’s (Traverse City, Mich.) second shutout of the season, the Niagara University men’s soccer team (3-9-2, 1-2-1) defeated Iona College (3-9-0, 0-5-0), 3-0, Sunday at Niagara Field.
Sullivan’s save on a Sheu Fortunato penalty kick in the 11th minute sparked the Purple Eagles to their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference win of the season. After a Niagara defender brought down an Iona forward from behind in the Purple Eagles’ penalty box to create a penalty kick opportunity for the Gaels, Fortunato struck a low shot to the right of Sullivan. Sullivan read Fortunato’s shot correctly and dove to save the penalty kick, smothering the rebound opportunity. The save kept the game tied at, 0-0, early in the opening half.
"Eric Sullivan had a huge game in goal for us today and managed to keep us in the game, giving us an opportunity to win," Niagara head coach Dermot McGrane said.
Sullivan, with the wind at his back, also played a part in the Purple Eagles’ first goal. He punted the ball over the Iona defense, hitting sophomore forward Matt Stedman (Lockport) on the run. Stedman controlled the ball and attacked the Gaels’ net, slipping a shot under Iona goalkeeper Patrick McAllen in the 19th minute.
With the score 1-0 in favor of the Purple Eagles following the first half, senior Dan O’Shea (East Syracuse, N.Y.) gave Niagara a 2-0 lead just three minutes into the second half. In the 48th minute, O’Shea outjumped a charging McAllen, heading-in a Mark Spooner (Mickleover, England) free-kick from 40 yards. For O’Shea, it was his second goal of the season.
Sophomore Rafael Venturini (Vitoria, Brazil) score the third and final goal for Niagara, hitting a one-time shot high into the Iona net off a drop-back pass from Stedman. After dribbling through two Gael defenders, Stedman drove at McAllen, laying off the ball to an on-coming Venturini at the last minute for the shot. The goal was Venturini’s first of the season.
In a game that featured a combined 44 fouls, Sullivan and the Niagara defense combined for the third Purple Eagles’ shutout of the season, with Sullivan making five saves for his third win of the season.
McAllen made nine saves for Iona in the loss.
Shots were in favor of Niagara, 22-18, with the Purple Eagles shooting 13 on net.
Niagara continues conference play next weekend, traveling to Manhattan College Oct. 22 and Saint Peter’s Oct. 24.
