ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - Despite a late second-half surge by the Niagara women’s soccer team, the Purple Eagles dropped a tough, 4-3 decision to St. Bonaventure on Friday evening at the McGraw-Jennings Field.

The Purple Eagles (4-4) were enroute to a dramatic comeback after netting a pair of goals less than two minutes apart in the later stages of the game to pull within one of the Bonnies (2-6-1), but Niagara's efforts came up slightly short.  

"What a disappointing game," head coach Peter Veltri said.  "You play so hard for 90 minutes and then you realize that you gave the win away.  We were the better team, but we just had too many mental breakdowns.  We need to learn from tonight's mistakes and make sure we don't duplicate them again." 

 
Senior midfielder Michaela DiFazio started the offensive push with a breakaway tally seven seconds after the Bonnies pulled ahead, 4-1.  Junior defender Danielle Kennedy made it a one-goal game in the 41st minute of play after picking up a deflection and tucking the ball behind Bonnie keeper Megan Junker.  

Junior forward Kayla Picanco gave the Purple Eagles their only lead of the game 14 minutes into the opening half.  Picanco’s first goal of the season was shot from inside the box off a header from senior forward Jamie Raepple.  

The Bonnies battled back with their own tally seven minutes later off the foot of freshman Abby Maiello.  Rookie keeper Claire Feiertag got her fingertips on the long shot, but it sneaked into the net for the equalizer.  

St. Bonaventure grabbed its first lead of the game in the 42nd minute of action after junior Jordan Calabria pounced on a loose ball in the box on a corner kick from sophomore Caitlin MacConnell.  The teams headed into intermission with the Bonnies outshooting NU by a 11-5 margin.  

Shannon Van Riper gave the Bonnies a two-goal cushion in the 12th minute of the second 45 minutes of play and added her second of the game in the 39th minute off a cornerkick from Brittany Charles.  

Feiertag finished the game with two saves.  

Niagara travels to Ithaca, N.Y. on Sunday, Sept. 23 for its final non-conference matchup up of the season against the Cornell Big Red.  Kick off is scheduled for 1 p.m.