MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – A strong effort from the Niagara defense and freshman keeper Steve Casey kept the game scoreless through one half, but a pair of miscues in the second allowed West Virginia to come away with a 2-0 win on Saturday night.
 
The Purple Eagles (3-5-1) kept the Mountaineers (5-4-0) at bay with a strong defensive effort throughout the opening half. The first seven shots by WVU were either wide or blocked while Casey made his first save of the game in the 33^rd minute. Casey added one more save and his defense added another blocked shot as NU and WVU took a scoreless tie into half.
 
"We did a great job executing our game plan against a very good WVU team," head coach Eric Barnes said. "Steve was solid in goal all game."
 
The game would remain scoreless through the first 18 minutes of the second half until in the 63^rd minute when a fortunate cross off of a Niagara turnover would find its way into the box and eventually into the Niagara goal to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. Niagara nearly tied the game eight minutes later when Coletun Long send a header wide of the net. WVU would add an insurance goal in the 75^th minute a Mountaineer cross deflected off of a Niagara defender and into the net.
 
Casey kept the score 2-0 at the tail-end of the 76^th minute when the keeper charged out of the goal to take away a one-on-one attempt. The Buffalo, New York native finished the match with seven saves. Four Purple Eagles would find their way into the shot column.
 
"Unfortunately, a mistake playing out of the back cost us the first goal and we scored an own goal defending a cross for the second goal," said Barnes. "The effort and execution were outstanding leading into conference play and we will be ready to go for Quinnipiac."
 
Niagara begins the MAAC season on Tuesday when it travels to Quinnipiac to take on the Bobcats for a 2:00 p.m. match.