PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – A team-leading fifth goal of the season by senior forward
Haillie Price was not enough for the Niagara Purple Eagles on Sunday afternoon as they were edged by the Drexel Dragons, 2-1.
Drexel did not wait long to get its first goal of the game, as Vanessa Kara intercepted the opening tap and was able to put it into the right side of the net just 16 seconds into the match. The Dragons took a 2-0 lead right before halftime, when Keunna Dill found Imani Walker in the middle, where Walker fired a shot past Niagara keeper
Claire Feiertag in the 41st minute.
"I was disappointed with the mistakes we made," Niagara coach
Peter Veltri said. "After we gifted Drexel two goals in the first half, we showed good character in bouncing back in the second half."
Junior forward
Laura Ortiz put a shot on net in the 55th minute, but Drexel keeper Eve Badana was able to make the stop.
Price's goal came in the 71st minute, just minutes after a goalie change by Drexel. Price took a rebound off her own shot and was able to find the back of the net on her second attempt. Price again led the Purple Eagles with four shots on the day and now has 38 this season. She has also scored at least one goal in four of her last five games and is just one goal shy of last year's team-leading total of six.
"We have a lot of talented players," Veltri said. "If we can tighten up a few things, we will be successful moving forward."
Niagara (2-3-2) opens its conference schedule on Saturday, Sept. 19 when it heads to Fairfield to play the Stags at 1 p.m.
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