NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara women’s soccer team (6-4-0, 1-1 MAAC) fell, 6-0, to Fairfield (6-5-0, 2-0 MAAC) Sunday afternoon at Niagara Field.  The loss breaks Niagara’s three-game winning streak, while the six goals allowed were the most by a Niagara team since Sept. 17, 2004, when Detroit handed NU a 6-4 loss.

“We weren’t prepared to play today,” head coach Peter Veltri said. “Both mentally and physically we were three steps behind.  When you play the top team in your conference, you have to show up.  We did not show up today.”

Niagara was unable to prevent Fairfield from taking advantage of its offensive opportunities.  The Stags scored on four of their nine shots in the first half, with the first goal coming at the 12:07 mark.  Fairfield’s Nicole Cavallaro was able to get around Niagara’s defender and beat NU’s Sarah Stephens (Toledo, Ohio) with a shot to the far post.  Cavallaro had a hand in the Stags’ next three goals assisting on all three tallies, including two off corner kicks.

MT Church scored Fairfield’s fifth goal on a penalty kick at the 48:33 mark after a Stag was tripped in the penalty box.   Church beat freshman Ashleigh Bowers (Liverpool, N.Y.) to the upper right corner of the goal.  However, just moments earlier, Bowers, who started the second half in net, stopped a point-blank shot with a great reflex save.  Bowers finished with three saves, while Stephens contributed one stop.

Following the penalty kick, Niagara had a several opportunities to score, with senior defender Natalie Frost (Elmira, N.Y.) providing the team’s best chances.  Frost’s first attempt was a 20-yard blast in the 51^st minute that Fairfield’s Brett Maron parried just wide of the goal. On the resulting corner kick, junior Shaylyn Lawrence (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) sent a ball across the box that junior Stephanie Gartley (Camlachie, Ont.) got her head on, but Maron again denied the Purple Eagles.

NU’s best scoring attempt came in 70^th minute when Frost ripped a 25-yard shot that Maron just managed to tip over the bar.

The Purple Eagles continue MAAC play with a trip to Saint Peter’s on Oct. 12.