NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – After opening the season with a 1-1-0 record, the Niagara University women’s soccer team embarks on the journey across New York Wednesday when it meets Albany at 3 p.m. The Purple Eagles split their opening weekend, defeating Buffalo at home, 3-1, before falling at Colgate, 4-3.

Niagara will be looking for its offense to keep rolling against the Great Danes. Through the first two matches of 2006, the Purple and White already lead the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in scoring, highlighted by junior Brittany Bisnott’s (Brampton, Ont.) three-goal performance. Her output earned her the MAAC’s Offensive Player of the Week award. Senior Emily Montgomery (Oshawa, Ont.) netted a goal in each of the first two contests, while sophomore Stephanie Gartley (Sarnia, Ont.) added four assists.

In net, freshman Sarah Stephens (Toledo, Ohio) has played all 180:00 minutes, earning the win against the Bulls and making 13 saves in the loss to the Raiders.

Checking out the record books, Bisnott needs just three points to take over sole possession of fourth on Niagara’s all-time point list. For her career, she has 31 goals and eight assists for 70 points.

Albany began the year with a 3-0 loss at Hartford and a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Monmouth. The Great Danes averaged six shots and 15 fouls per match. Sarah Morrell recorded Albany’s only goal so far, while Ashley Neussle started each game in net and made eight saves. Maria Liguori has seen time off the bench, giving up three goals and making three stops.

In last year’s meeting, Niagara defeated Albany, 6-2, in the Niagara Soccer Classic. Bisnott scored twice, and Gartley, junior Christina Langrell (Tillsonburg, Ont.) and sophomores Shaylyn Lawrence (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) and Aisha Eversley (Mississauga, Ont.) also added a goal in the victory. The Purple Eagles pushed their overall record against the Great Danes to 3-1-0.