Siena Bested in Final Minute at Niagara

April 5, 2021

Siena Men's Soccer (2-4-1) played an evenly matched road battle with MAAC foe Niagara (5-1) for over 89 minutes before the Purple Eagles were able to pull ahead for their fifth consecutive victory. The Saints dropped a 2-0 decision at Niagara Field in Niagara University, New York, with both scores coming in the final 34 seconds of the match.
 
With the Saints playing in their final regular season competition of the Spring 2021 campaign, things got off to a tightly contested start, with Niagara holding a 7-5 shots advantage at the half, including 3-2 on-goal. Both keepers were kept busy in-between-the-pipes throughout the duration of the contest, with Siena junior goalkeeper Greg Monroe recording a season-best eight saves on 21 shots faced.
 
Siena, who would go on to attempt just two corner kicks to Niagara's seven despite being out-fouled, 12-6, was overwhelmed on a set piece opportunity in the 90th minute, with the Purple Eagles' Gabriel Mikina scoring the goal-ahead goal at 89:26 following consecutive corners for the home team. Just 30 seconds after Mikina's screamer into the top left corner of the goal, Rodrigo Almeida got past Monroe for an empty-net insurance score with four seconds remaining.
 
Six Saints chipped in 12 shots for the team's second-highest output on the year, with freshmen Nick Fernandes and Jack Mendrysa leading the Green and Gold with four attempts apiece.
 
Siena ends its regular season at 2-4-1, becoming the first team in the MAAC this season to complete seven matches and the only team in the league to play all games on-schedule. Following the final MAAC regular season action on Thursday, April 8, the 2021 MAAC Men's Soccer Tournament will commence with the quarterfinal round on Sunday, April 11, with the top eight teams determined by points per-game competing for the title.

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