NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – Rodrigo Almeida tapped home his seventh goal of the season in the 44th minute of play to lift Niagara (5-8-5, 4-2-4) over Quinnipiac and secure the Purple Eagles a spot in the 2022 MAAC Men's Soccer Championship.
 
 Game Recap
 First Half
• Niagara controlled possession early on putting a trio of shots on net in the first 15 minutes of action, including one from Rodrigo Almeida in the 11th minute that found the hands of the Bobcat goalie.
• Josh Savoni made a save in the 13th minute of play to keep the game scorelss.
• Cameron Roach nearly gave Niagara a lead in the 29th minute but his shot was saved by the Quinnipiac goalie.
• Gabriel Mikina launched a free kick downfield where it landed in front of the 18-yard box, where Asher Barnes was able to nudge it forward to Almeida who beat the keeper to the ball and gave Niagara a 1-0 advantage over the Bobcats.
 
 Second Half
•  Niagara would maintain its lead through the first 25 minutes of second half action as Quinnipiac pressured Savoni and his replacement, Jamie Barry, with four shots.
• Ali Alomari nearly gave NU a 2-0 lead with a header but it went off the post in the 73rd minute.
• That was the first of five-straight shots attempted by the Purple Eagles, none of which found the back of the net to extend the lead.
• Quinnipiac would make one final attempt at tying the game in the final minute, but the shot was high and wide, securing NU's 1-0 victory.
 
Head Coach Bill Boyle's Postgame Comments:
"We stuck together against the top team in the conference and played a deep roster to get the win. It was an amazing effort from everyone and I am happy for our seniors."
 
 Niagara Notes
• The win secures a spot in the upcoming MAAC Championship for the Purple Eagles, their third-straight trip to the conference postseason.
• Almeida registered his seventh goal of the season, while Mikina and Barnes were credited with their first and second assists, respectively.
• Savoni made a pair of saves before leaving the game with an injury. Barry, didn't record a save but help NU secure its fifth clean sheet of the season.
 
 Up Next
 • The Purple and White will await the results of the remaining MAAC regular season to determine seeding for the Championship.
 
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