Aislinn Meaney's Game-Winning Goal In The 65' Lifts Akron To 2-1 Victory Over Niagara

Thursday, August 29

Akron, Ohio

7 PM

University of Akron

1-2-0, 0-0-0

Niagara

1-1-0, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Niagara	0	1	1
Akron	1	1	2

Aislinn Meaney's Game-Winning Goal In The 65' Lifts Akron To 2-1 Victory Over Niagara

August 29 | Women's Soccer

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AKRON, Ohio– Junior Aislinn Meaney's (Ennis, Ireland) stunning goal at the 65:34 mark proved to be the game-winner for the Akron women's soccer team as the Zips took down Niagara, 2-1, on Thursday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.

After an early second-half goal by the Purple Eagles knotted the game up at 1-1, the contest would remain squared for nearly the next 20 minutes. The Zips pushed the ball up the field as Meaney moved closer and closer to the Zips offensive third. Sophomore Hailey Clere (Clay, Ohio) sent a long pass from midfield up to Meaney and in stride headed towards the goal. With a defender on her tail, Meaney curled a shot from the right side of the box that landed in the top left corner for the score. The goal was Meaney's first of her career while Clere notched the first helper of her career in year two.

The Zips struck gold first in the contest in the 18' of the match. Sophomore Carly Pcholinsky (South Park, Pa.) got tangled up with the Niagara keeper and the Purple Eagles were called for a foul inside the box. Senior Ashley Amato (Pittsburgh, Pa.) stepped to the PK line, attacked, fired, and scored her first goal of the season, the 13^thin her career, and the first penalty kick score of her career.

In the match, Akron totaled seven shots, including two in the first half and five in the second stanza. Meaney paced the Zips individually with a team-high three shots (one on goal), while Clere and Amato each chipped in two shots and a combined two shots on goal.

Akron won the battle of corner kicks, 3-to-2, over the Purple Eagles.

Freshman keeper Libby Harper (Hatfield, England) earned her first collegiate start against Niagara and turned in a first-half clean sheet and did not have to make a save. In the second half, freshman Vanessa Berlin (Gau-Oderheim, Germany) entered the contest as a sub and went on to corral two saves.

With the victory, Akron picked up its first win of the 2019 campaign while Niagara fell to 1-1-0.

Akron now heads to Morehead, Ky. on Sunday, Sept. 1, as the Zips go head-to-head against Morehead State at 2 p.m. from MSU Rec & Wellness Intramural field.