GREEN BAY, Wisc. – The Niagara University men’s soccer team (0-2-0) lost its second-straight game at the Green Bay Soccer Classic, falling, 5-2, to tournament-host University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Sunday at Phoenix Field, on the campus of UW-Green Bay.
For the second consecutive game, the Purple Eagles allowed five goals, losing, 5-1, to Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne Saturday. Niagara’s poor showing in this weekend’s two games has not been overlooked by head coach Dermot McGrane.
"I’m extremely disappointed in the way we performed this weekend," McGrane said. "We need a drastic change. We need to do a lot of work to prepare for next weekend."
The Purple Eagles fell behind minutes after the opening whistle, allowing two goals within the first three minutes of the contest.
Just over a minute into the game, Phoenix sophomore forward Joshua Okoampa beat Niagara goalkeeper Dan O’Shea (East Syracuse, N.Y.) from the top of the penalty box, scoring his first goal of the season. Okoampa scored UW-Green Bay’s second goal forty seconds later, beating O’Shea into the left side of the net.
Not conceding after falling behind early, junior defender Mark Spooner (Mickleover, England) cut the deficit in half in the 26th minute, hitting a free kick into the top-right corner of the net from 20 yards out.
Within three minutes of scoring Niagara’s first goal, Spooner would get a chance to equalize the game on a penalty kick.
In the 29th minute, freshman forward Kwame Oduro (Toronto) was taken down in the Phoenix penalty area, causing a penalty kick opportunity for Spooner. Spooner capitalized on the chance, finishing his shot to the left of Phoenix goalkeeper Pat Czuprynski and tying the game at 2-2.
End-to-end action ensued until the 75th minute, as UW-Green Bay junior Adam Ben-Zikri tallied the game-winning goal on a 35-yard free kick, beating O’Shea for his second goal of the season.
Freshmen J.T. Garrity and Ryan Batley added insurance goals for the Phoenix, with Garrity beating O’Shea with a heavy shot from 40 yards away from the Niagara net.
Shots were in favor of UW-Green Bay, outshooting Niagara, 27-13, in the contest.
Czuprynski made two saves for his second win of the season. O’Shea, seeing his first action of the season, made nine saves in the loss.
The Purple Eagles host the Niagara Falls Soccer Classic, a four-team invitational at Niagara Field, Saturday and Sunday. The invitational field consists of the Purple Eagles, Canisius, High Point and Stony Brook. Niagara faces High Point Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and Stony Brook Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Admission to next weekend’s invitational is free.
