NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara University women's soccer team got goals from three different players en route to a 4-0 win over Marist on Wednesday afternoon in its regular season finale to clinch the No. 3 seed in the upcoming MAAC Tournament.
"I'm very happy for the girls tonight. They set some very lofty goals back in preseason and tonight they accomplished and exceed some those goals," said head coach
Peter Veltri. "Defensively we very good, and offensively we created and finished our opportunities tonight."
The Purple Eagles scored the only goal they would need just under five minutes into the contest. Off a cross by senior midfielder
Catherine Meyer from the far post, senior forward
Kiley Titus tapped the ball into the back of the net from the goal box for her second goal of the season. The two teams went into halftime with Niagara leading, 1-0.
Niagara (10-2-5, 6-1-3 MAAC) took a 4-0 lead a little over five minutes into the second half. Another cross from Meyer started the second scoring play as
Haillie Price flicked in her fifth goal of the season into the top left corner of the net right over the Marist goalie's head. Less than two minutes later, sophomore forward
Laura Ortiz sent the ball into the box to Meyer who then sent the ball past the Red Foxes' goalkeeper for her second goal this year. Price capped the game's scoring in the 51st minute with her team-leading sixth tally of the season after taking a pass from Ortiz.
Junior goalkeeper
Claire Feiertag made two saves for the Purple Eagles while teammate
Shangyne Samuels made one stop between the pipes for Niagara. Feiertag moved into a first place for single-season shutouts with nine which was set in 2002 by Katy Owings and is two cleansheets away from tying Ashleigh Bower's record of 14 career shutouts.
The Purple Eagles registered a 23-10 advantage in shots, including 12-3 in the second half, while taking seven of the game's 12 corner kicks.
"This season had many highs, with 10 wins, and five ties. However, the fact that we only lost two games this year is an unbelievable accomplishment,"
Veltri continued. "The two losses is a program best, which eclipses the old record of three set back in 2005."
NU's eight home wins ties a program best, while its 5-0-0 home record in MAAC play is a new program mark.
The Purple Eagles will host Canisius this Saturday, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. in the MAAC Championship First Round at Niagara Field.
