NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Niagara (5-1, 1-0 MAAC) defeated Mount St. Mary's (3-3, 0-1 MAAC) Saturday afternoon by the final score of 3-0 to open MAAC play. Isabella Mazzaferro neeted a brace and Morgan Kulniszewski scored the other while Maddie Crosbie made six saves en route to the clean sheet.
 
How it Happened
Niagara took a total of eight shots, three of which were on target, before finding the back of the net in the 37th minute as Mazzaferro scored an olimpico goal to give the Purple Eagles a 1-0 lead.
 
Crosbie made four of her six saves in the first half and got a little bit of help from the crossbar to keep the Purple and White ahead by one heading into the break.
 
The second half began with a Kulniszewski attempt in the 45th minute that went off-target, however, the junior and WNY native would get another chance moments later as Mazzaferro sent a cross in toward the near post where Kulniszewski would be waiting for the header, giving NU a 2-0 lead.
 
After multiple attempts by the Mountaineers to cut the Niagara lead in half, Kulniszewski and Caitlyn Grady would team up to find an unmarked Mazzaferro for Niagara's third and the sophomores second goal of the contest.
 
Crosbie, with more help from the woodwork, would keep Mount off the board in the second half, securing the clean sheet and Niagara's fifth-straight win.
 
Niagara Notes
• Niagara improves to 2-1-1 all-time against Mount St. Mary's, including a 2-0 mark at Niagara Field.
• The Purple Eagles last won five consecutive games in 2022 when it won five-straight during a seven-game unbeaten streak.
• Kulnizewski's goal in the 52nd minute was the first of her career.
• Mazzaferro has scored a goal in each of the last five games, including four game winners. The Canadian strikers brace was the second of her career. 
• Mazzaferro finished with game-high five points, earning an assist on the Kulnizewski header.
• Tobin recorded the secondary assist on the Kulniszewski goal, for her first career point.
• Crosbie recorded her fourth clean sheet of the season. As a team, Niagara had four shutouts in all of 2023.
 
Up Next
Niagara will travel to Lawrenceville, N.J., for a Saturday, Sep. 14 matchup against Rider. The game is slated to begin at 1 p.m.
 
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