MORAGA, Calif. – Saint Mary's Men's Soccer won the season opener 3-2 over Niagara University on Thursday in their first ever meeting against the Purple Eagles.
 
SMC got the victory in a see-saw affair that belonged to the Gaels in the first half, swung to Niagara early in the second half, and was reclaimed by the Gaels when they responded with two goals in the final 32 minutes to clinch the victory.
 
PUNCH
The game was physical early on with very few whistles, but that changed about 20 minutes in, as the referee began calling the game tighter to keep it from crossing over from physical to rowdy. Three yellow cards were issued in a five-minute span in the first half as the game got chippie.
 
In the 29th minute of the first half, the Gaels had a throw in from the far sideline right around the front line of the Niagara penalty area. The Gaels throw-in specialist Christian Engmann launched a ball into the box, that a Niagara player attempted to clear but couldn't get out of the penalty area.
 
Newcomer Bastian Toelhoej came up with the ball on the clearing attempt and booted it home for his first collegiate goal and put SMC up 1-0.
 
COUNTER PUNCH
The Purple Eagles responded early in the second half. They scored two goals on two set pieces in a three-minute span to take a 2-1 lead.
 
After the initial cross was blocked on a corner kick, NU recovered the loose ball. A long cross deflected off of a Gael right onto the foot of a Niagara attacker for a goal at point-blank range to tie it at 1-1.
 
The second goal was headed beautifully on a leaping attempt back away from the flow of bodies in front of the net to put Niagara ahead in the 50th minute.
 
KNOCK OUT BLOW
But that just seemed to wake up the Gaels. Saint Mary's responded eight minutes later when they streaked down the field attacking the middle of the NU defense.
 
Greg Brighton worked his way into the middle of the pitch, and about 30 yards away from the goal he passed to his right to Tyler Hardin before he collided with a Niagara defender. Hardin then had plenty space to flick a pass ahead into the box where Cal State Fullerton transfer Omar Yehya beat the keeper to the ball and kicked it passed him with his right foot to tie the game at 2-2 at the 58-minute mark.
 
The Gaels third goal was similar to their first as, Engmann threw a dart into the box from the near sideline. It deflected off the head of Purple Eagle defender right to Jack Vestberg who booted it home out of midair to put SMC on top 3-2 in the 74th minute.
 
WITHSTANDING A FLURRY
Two more yellow cards were handed out early in the second half, one to the Gaels and one to the Purple Eagles. Two more would be handed out to NU in the final five minutes, including one as time expired when a Niagara defender pulled down Bordanne Ngongfor.
 
Amidst all the physicality, the Purple Eagles put on some serious pressure as they pressed forward to try even the score. Keeper Kash Oladapo would come up with some major saves late in the 85th, 86th, and 89th minute of the match.
 
The most difficult save came in the 86th minute after the Purple Eagles attacker got around the corner of the Gaels defense on a breakaway. Oladapo was up to the task when the Niagara forward tried to get one past the Saint Mary's keeper over to the far side of the net, but Oladapo dove to his right, stopping the shot with his hands extended.
 
UP NEXT
The Gaels will host Norther Illinois University on Sunday, August 25 at 1:00 p.m. in Saint Mary's Stadium. The Huskies were 15-3-2 last season and undefeated in conference play, but lost their season opener to San Francisco 3-2. Saint Mary's is 2-1 all time vs. NIU.