Sept. 28, 2007

LEWISTON, N.Y. - For the first time since the conclusion of the 2006 campaign, the St. Bonaventure men's soccer team clinched a two-game win streak with the club's 2-1 victory at Niagara on Friday evening.

The win improves the Bonnies to 3-3-1 for the season, while the Purple Eagles drop to 1-5-1. With seven games behind them, the Brown and White have already matched last season's win total of three games.

"We've put together two good games back-to-back and are starting to create some scoring chances," said head coach Mel Mahler. "This result is a great momentum builder entering the conference season."

For the second straight match, the Bonnies surrendered the game's opening goal, but were able to battle back for the result.

The Purple Eagles opened the scoring just under four minutes into the match, when junior Stephen Kauble beat freshman goalkeeper David Flynn one on one and into the left corner of the net at the 3:52 mark.

After trailing for approximately eighteen minutes, the Bonnies answered in the 22nd minute when senior forward Nikola Vasilev sent home his third goal of the season for the equalizer. The Bulgarian international used his head to deflect the ball past sophomore goalkeeper Jon Fiutowski at the 22:29 mark to knot the game at 1-1. Sophomore defender Tyler Bellamy was credited with his first career assist on Vasilev's game-tying score.

Just minutes before the halftime whistle, Flynn preserved the 1-1 tie by denying a penalty kick off the foot of Purple Eagles freshman Levi Tesch following a foul in the box by sophomore Matt Culo.

Early in the second stanza, the Bonnies sealed their third win of the year at the 56:06 mark when Bellamy poked a loose ball in front of the net past Fiutowski for the game-winner. The Hammonton, N.J. native's game clincher was the first tally of his career and gave him three points for the contest.

The resurgence of the Bonnies attack continued its development against the Purple Eagles. For the contest, the Brown and White outshot Niagara 21-10, including a 13-5 advantage in the second half. Sophomore Stephen Bortlon and Vasilev paced the offensive assault with five shots apiece.

Flynn picked up his third collegiate victory in net after stopping five shots in the contest.

The Brown and White return to action on Oct. 12 at 4:00 p.m. for the club's Atlantic 10 Conference opener against Saint Louis at McGraw-Jennings Field.