NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Junior Kelly Flaherty’s (Hastings, N.Y.) first career goal led the Niagara University women’s soccer team (9-5-1, 4-2-1) to a 3-2 win over Saint Peter’s College (1-16-0, 0-7-0) Sunday at Niagara Field.
Off a Peahens’ turnover in the 69th minute, Flaherty’s shot from 50 yards beat a retreating Andrea Kovalcik high in the Saint Peter’s net, giving Niagara the go-ahead goal.
The Purple Eagles had trailed, 2-1, prior to goals scored by sophomore Emily Montgomery (Oshawa, Ont.) and Flaherty.
"We didn’t have our best game today, but we fought and scraped through it," Niagara head coach Peter Veltri said. "We fought through some adversity and were lucky enough to come out with a win."
Purple Eagles’ leading-scorer Brittany Bisnott (Brampton, Ont.) gave Niagara a 1-0 lead with three minutes remaining in the first half, scoring her 14th goal of the season in the 42nd minute. Off of a through-ball by junior Amber Niece (Port Colbourne, Ont.), Bisnott beat Kovalcik low into the left corner of the net.
The lead following Bisnott’s goal was short-lived, as Peahens freshman Sarah Meier capitalized on a turnover by the Niagara defense with just 15 seconds left in the first half. Following a misread header by the Purple Eagles, Meier sprinted to the loose ball in the Niagara box, hitting a high shot over Purple Eagles goalkeeper Melissa Himes (Fulton, N.Y.).
Saint Peter’s took a 2-1 lead after freshman Jilian Fueshko scored her first collegiate goal in the 61st minute. Fuesko outjumped the Niagara defense inside the Purple Eagles’ six-yard penalty box, heading in a service by sophomore Caitlin Postel.
The Purple Eagles continued to attack the Peahen defense following Fuesko’s goal resulting in a free kick in the 67th minute. On the free-kick opportunity, Niece flighted a ball into the Saint Peter’s box, finding Montgomery who cut in front of Kovalcik to head the ball at the Peahen net. After the initial header failed to cross the goal line, Montgomery volleyed the ball into the roof of the net, scoring her seventh goal of the season.
Flaherty’s game-winning goal came just two minutes following Montgomery’s tally.
The Purple Eagles outshot Saint Peter’s, 17-10, in the contest.
Playing in her final game at Niagara Field, Himes, a senior goalkeeper, made three saves for her second win of the season. Kovalcik made three saves for the Peahens in the loss.
With Himes, Purple Eagles’ seniors Natalie Davy (Ajax, Ont.) and Lora te Boekhorst (Dundas, Ont.), along with graduate student Jenni Greiner (Syracuse, N.Y.), all played in their final home game of their collegiate careers.
Niagara, which is tied for fourth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference following Sunday’s victory, travels to conference-leading Loyola College Friday at 3 p.m.
