Box Score
MOON TOWNSHIP, PA. - A tough first half put the Niagara women's soccer team (0-1-0, 0-0-0 MAAC) into a hole it couldn't climb out of, dropping a 5-1 decision to the host Robert Morris Colonials (3-1-0, 0-0-0 NEC) on Friday afternoon.
The Colonials would net three on the Purple Eagles in the first half, with the first goal of the contest scored on a header off a corner kick by Alexa Sarsfield in the 14th minute. Later in the opening half, Robert Morris would score twice in a 10-minute span, with goals scored by Lauren Thomas and Brianna Bell.
"This was one of the wierdest games that I've been associated with," head coach Peter Veltri said. "It isn't like we played as bad as the score indicated. We made some mental mistakes and they took advantage of every one of them. At times, I thought we played quite well. We moved the ball around and created some good chances".
The Purple Eagles did have their chances in the first half, including an early breakaway by junior
Jamie Raepple that was stopped by Colonials goalkeeper Jessica Olin. Niagara held a distinct 5-1 advantage in corner kicks, but were down by three heading into the second half.
The Purple Eagles would finally get on the board at the 75:39 mark, when a cross by Raepple was kicked into the net by sophomore
Breanna Catipovic. Robert Morris would strike twice in a span of 43 seconds to quell a Niagara comeback, with both goals scored by Ayana Davis.
"We're going to regroup and be ready for Sunday," Veltri said.
Niagara will be back in action on Sunday, when the Purple Eagles take on the St. Francis (Pa.) Red Flash at 2 p.m.
