NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. – Seniors Jack Steel and Kyle Macfarlane found the back of the net as the St. Bonaventure University men's soccer team shut out Little Three rival Niagara, 2-0, in the season opener on the road Thursday evening.
The Bonnies were on the attack early as Manex Landa forced a corner kick off a deflected shot in the seventh minute.
In the eighth minute, Benjamin Haynes sent the corner kick into the box, where it bounced around before falling to Josh Seyer. Seyer played a pass back to Steel, who rocketed home a shot for his first goal in the Brown and White.
Bona's one-goal advantage held until the break as neither team was able to find a clear scoring chance.
In the second half, Ryan Holt found enough space for a chance in the 60th minute, but his shot was deflected out for a corner kick.
Haynes stood over the corner once again and sent a ball into the box, where it found the foot of Macfarlane. The senior's first chance bounced off the post but came right back to Daniel Helle, who played it back to Macfarlane. He was not denied a second time, giving the Bonnies a two-goal lead in the 61st minute.
The Bonnies kept the pressure on the Purple Eagles defense with chances from Helle in the 71st minute and Holt in the 73rd but were unable to extend the lead.
Niagara's best scoring chance of the night came in the 75th minute when Tommy Mittelstadt's shot got through traffic and toward the net, but Bonnies goalkeeper Winston Jory slid over to make the save.
Jory finished with a pair of saves en route to his first shutout in the Brown and White.
Holt paced the Bonnies with three shots, while Macfarlane and Neshawn Sutherland registered two chances each.
UP NEXT
The Bonnies remain on the road as they travel to take on No. 23 West Virginia Monday, Aug. 24.
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