NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – Senior Kourtney Cunningham (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) scored in the 76^th minute to cut Niagara's lead in half, but the Rider University women's soccer team fell to the Purple Eagles, 2-1, Sunday afternoon on Niagara Field. The Broncs had two quality opportunities in the box late, but both were saved. Rider ends its season at 8-6-4, while Niagara (10-6-2) moves on to the MAAC Semifinals.   
 
The Purple Eagles took a 2-0 lead on a pair of Annie Ibey goals in the first 30 minutes. In the 10^th minute, the Broncs initially deflected away Kelsey Araujo's cross, but Ibey collected and shot into the left corner. At the 28:31 mark, Ibey struck again, this time off assists from Veda Hensel and Araujo. Ibey again went left for the score.  

In the 76^th minute, Cunningham dispossessed a Niagara defender inside the 18-yard box and shot past Niagara goalkeeper Shania van Nuland to cut the deficit in half. Four minutes later, the Broncs were poised to tie the game, but senior Meghan McCabe's (Massapequa Park, NY/Massapequa) shot off of a Valeria Pascuet (Bunuel, Navarra, Spain/San Fermin Ikastola) corner beat van Nuland but was cleared off the line by a Niagara defender.

Rider had one more quality opportunity in the 82^nd minute, passing Niamh Cashin (Nottingham, England/All Saints Academy) into the box for a 1-v-1 opportunity with van Nuland. But the Niagara keeper charged off her line and smothered Cashin's shot.
 
Quotes and Notes
"I'm very proud of the second-half performance as we really took the game to Niagara. The Niagara goalkeeper made a couple of critical saves when it looked like the score was going to be evened up. However, I'm devastated for the team with the outcome of the game. Nobody wants the season to end in this manner. We will always be thankful for our senior class and what they have given to Rider University and the soccer program."  - Rider Head Coach Drayson Hounsome 

- The Purple Eagles extended their lead in the all-time series to 13-9-2, including 2-1 wins in both meetings this season. Rider had been unbeaten in four meetings prior to a Sept. 22 setback.
- Rider was making its sixth-straight MAAC Championship appearance.

Broncs By The Numbers
- With her 21^st career goal, Cunningham moved alone into sixth place in Rider history, passing current Rider Assistant Coach Tara Ballay. The two points also moved her out of a tie for seventh with former teammate Ellie Smith (55 points), also passing another former teammate, Michelle Iacono (56 points) for sixth all-time.
- Cunningham's nine goals are the most by a Bronc in a single season since Ballay scored 11 goals in 2014. Iacono and Smith each scored eight goals in 2017 and 2016, respectively.
- Rider sophomore goalkeeper Carmen Carbonell (Valencia, Spain/Guadalaviar School) made seven saves. It marked the ninth time this season that she made at least seven saves. She currently leads the MAAC with 104 saves and 6.5 saves per game this season.
- Niagara outshot Rider, 15-14. Both teams put eight shots on goal.  
- Rider took five corner kicks to the Purple Eagles' four.