NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – Niagara (5-1-0) defeated the North Dakota Fighting Sioux (3-4-0) 2-0 to win the 2008 Niagara Falls Classic this afternoon at Niagara Field. The Purple Eagles scored a goal in each half on their way to their first clean sheet of the season.
“When you host a tournament, it is always great to win it,” head coach Peter Veltri said. “The team wanted to win this tournament in front of the home crowd and they played hard to do it.”
The final match of the tournament pitted the Fighting Sioux, who beat Drexel on Friday 1-0, against the host Niagara in a winner–take-all match.
The Purple Eagles jumped on the Fighting Sioux early, resulting to a 1-0 lead. In the 8th minute, Kathryn Potter (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.) beat her marker in the box and fired a
shot pass the keeper that hit the post. Laura Kimoto (Scarborough, Ont.) was waiting in front of the goal and tapped the ball into the net to score her second goal of the Classic.
The Fighting Sioux battled hard in the first half, but goalkeeper Ashleigh Bowers (Liverpool, N.Y.) and the backline forced North Dakota to long range shots.
“The team showed good composure playing against a very physical team,” Veltri said. “They didn’t lose focus and kept playing our game.”
In the second half, Niagara took firm control of the game and limited North Dakota to few chances. The Purple Eagles added a security goal in the 65th minute. Michelle Emery (Colorado Springs, Colo.) laid off a pass to Chiara Greco (Hamilton, Ont.) who sent a rocket pass the UND keeper for her first goal of the season.
“I am happy that we are keeping the positive momentum from our previous games to the next,” Veltri said. “The team is gaining confidence every game.”
Bowers and the Purple Eagles collected their first shutout of the 2008 season.
The 5-1-0 start is Niagara’s best start since the 2002 season when the Purple Eagles started 8-0-1.
Stephanie Gartley (Camlachie, Ont.) was the unanimous pick for the tournament MVP. She scored a hat-trick against Albany and had seven shots in the classic. Gartley was joined by Bowers, Laura Kimoto and Shaylyn Lawrence (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) on the all-tournament team from Niagara.
Niagara will next participate in the UNLV tournament in Las Vegas, Nev. from September 19-21. The Purple Eagles first match will be against the Idaho Vandals at 7:30 p.m. e.t.
2008 Niagara Falls All-Tournament Team
Forward #4, Sr. - Stephanie Gartley, Niagara
Goalkepper #30, So. - Ashleigh Bowers, Niagara
Midfielder #7, Sr. - Shaylyn Lawrence, Niagara
Forward #21, Fr. - Laura Kimoto, Niagara
Forward #7, Jr. - Lauren Hermmann, North Dakota
Defender #22, Jr. - Ericka Lund, North Dakota
Midfielder #9, Sr. - Lara Traczyk, North Dakota
Forward #10, Sr. - Aleka Yiantsos, Drexel
Midfielder #8, Jr. - Carly Snyder, Drexel
Forward #11, Jr. - Ashley Tirabassi, Albany
Midfielder #18, Fr. - Kendra Harrell-Vigil, Albany
MVP: Stephanie Gartley, Niagara
