BY JONNY WALKER, SPORTS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR
With three minutes remaining in regular time and the score tied, St. Bonaventure’s goalkeeper, freshman Nicolas Pucci, cleared the ball to the top of opposing Niagara’s 18-yard box.
Niagara’s goalkeeper, senior Josh Savoni, charged off his line, knocking the ball to the chest of Bonaventure’s leading goal-scorer, Matthew Wrobel, about 30 yards from the goal.
Wrobel drilled the ball with his left foot off one bounce. The home team’s keeper could only stand at the top of his box and watch as the game-winning shot found the back of the net.
“We need to find ways where we can free up Matthew Wrobel,” said Bonaventure head coach Kwame Oduro ahead of Wednesday evening’s game.
The Bonnies’ (3-4-1, 0-1) road victory over the Purple Eagles (1-6-1, 0-0) snapped their three-game winless streak. Bonaventure struck first, scoring off a turnover in the 40th minute. Niagara evened the score in the 53rd minute on a header. Overtime loomed until Wrobel’s goal in the 88th minute.
“[We need to] get people [other than Wrobel] on the ball to get chances on goal,” said Oduro. “Because if we can’t free him up, then it’s going to be very difficult for us to score goals.”
In the 40th minute, Bonaventure midfielder Dean Mercer corralled an errant pass in Niagara’s defensive third. The freshman poked the ball around a defender, ran onto it and played it over Niagara’s backline. Bonaventure forward Umechi Akuazaoku split the Purple Eagles’ center backs and rifled a one-touch, right-footed shot past the goalkeeper’s outstretched hands.
In the 53rd minute, Niagara midfielder Cameron Roach played fellow midfielder Stephen Hasse down the right sideline. He hit a one-touch, right-footed cross to the far post of Bonaventure’s goal, where it found the head of forward Rodrigo Almeida. Both Roach and Hasse were credited with an assist on the play.
Both teams squandered scoring opportunities in the following 35 minutes of game time. The Little Three rivalry match appeared to be headed for a draw until the game-winning goal in the 88th minute.
The Bonnies will host A-10 rival Fordham Saturday.
“So the things we’re working on now, we’re hoping that we can see it … on Saturday,” said Oduro. “[We need to] get more shots on target and look more threatening in the attacking third.”
The Parents Appreciation Day game begins at 5 p.m., streaming live on ESPN+.
“It’s a confidence game,” said Oduro. “We want to win. It’s Family Weekend – so, that’s a big crowd, hopefully. We want to, obviously, win that game.”
BY JONNY WALKER, SPORTS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR
With three minutes remaining in regular time and the score tied, St. Bonaventure’s goalkeeper, freshman Nicolas Pucci, cleared the ball to the top of opposing Niagara’s 18-yard box.
Niagara’s goalkeeper, senior Josh Savoni, charged off his line, knocking the ball to the chest of Bonaventure’s leading goal-scorer, Matthew Wrobel, about 30 yards from the goal.
Wrobel drilled the ball with his left foot off one bounce. The home team’s keeper could only stand at the top of his box and watch as the game-winning shot found the back of the net.
“We need to find ways where we can free up Matthew Wrobel,” said Bonaventure head coach Kwame Oduro ahead of Wednesday evening’s game.
The Bonnies’ (3-4-1, 0-1) road victory over the Purple Eagles (1-6-1, 0-0) snapped their three-game winless streak. Bonaventure struck first, scoring off a turnover in the 40th minute. Niagara evened the score in the 53rd minute on a header. Overtime loomed until Wrobel’s goal in the 88th minute.
“[We need to] get people [other than Wrobel] on the ball to get chances on goal,” said Oduro. “Because if we can’t free him up, then it’s going to be very difficult for us to score goals.”
In the 40th minute, Bonaventure midfielder Dean Mercer corralled an errant pass in Niagara’s defensive third. The freshman poked the ball around a defender, ran onto it and played it over Niagara’s backline. Bonaventure forward Umechi Akuazaoku split the Purple Eagles’ center backs and rifled a one-touch, right-footed shot past the goalkeeper’s outstretched hands.
In the 53rd minute, Niagara midfielder Cameron Roach played fellow midfielder Stephen Hasse down the right sideline. He hit a one-touch, right-footed cross to the far post of Bonaventure’s goal, where it found the head of forward Rodrigo Almeida. Both Roach and Hasse were credited with an assist on the play.
Both teams squandered scoring opportunities in the following 35 minutes of game time. The Little Three rivalry match appeared to be headed for a draw until the game-winning goal in the 88th minute.
The Bonnies will host A-10 rival Fordham Saturday.
“So the things we’re working on now, we’re hoping that we can see it … on Saturday,” said Oduro. “[We need to] get more shots on target and look more threatening in the attacking third.”
The Parents Appreciation Day game begins at 5 p.m., streaming live on ESPN+.
“It’s a confidence game,” said Oduro. “We want to win. It’s Family Weekend – so, that’s a big crowd, hopefully. We want to, obviously, win that game.”
walkercj20@bonaventure.edu
