LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - Lucas Almeida's hat trick propelled Siena (5-4-4) to a 3-1 victory over Niagara (6-5-1) on Saturday afternoon at Siena Soccer Field, with 847 fans in attendance. The Saints extended their unbeaten streak to three matches while handing the Purple Eagles their first loss in three games.
Almeida opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, connecting on a well-placed assist from Lee Mara. Niagara's Reon Tezuka equalized in the 24th minute off a feed from Jeremie Truel, but Almeida restored Siena's lead in the 40th minute with a clinical finish, assisted by Christian Amaral and Eric Svensson. The Saints' striker completed his hat trick in the 87th minute to seal the victory.
The first half showcased an evenly matched contest with both teams generating quality chances. Niagara's Landon Hungerford tested the Saints' defense with a blocked shot in the 3rd minute, while Jeremy Talsma followed with another attempt in the 4th minute. Siena's Rayan Berbachi and Lucas Almeida both threatened with shots in the 19th and 23rd minutes respectively, demonstrating the Saints' attacking intent.
The second half saw Siena assert more control, with Mario Navarro Perez and Benjamin Fogarty both creating dangerous opportunities in the opening minutes. Niagara's Niklas Kneller attempted to equalize in the 53rd minute, but his effort sailed wide. The Purple Eagles pressed forward late, with Juan Cardona and Reon Tezuka both testing the Siena defense in the final minutes, but Almeida's late strike secured the three points.
Both teams recorded 13 shot attempts, with Siena holding a slight 7-5 advantage in shots on target. The Purple Eagles earned seven corner kicks to Siena's five, while the Saints' Mario Navarro Perez received the match's only yellow card in the 61st minute for unsporting behavior.
Almeida's hat trick performance highlighted an impressive offensive display, while Martin Piedeleu anchored Siena's defensive effort before being substituted in the 83rd minute. For Niagara, Reon Tezuka showed consistent threat in attack, recording multiple shots including his first-half goal.
Tactically, Siena's approach focused on building through the midfield, with Karl Tchounjin and Campbell Stalker controlling the tempo before their substitutions. Niagara attempted to counter through wide areas, utilizing the pace of Paddy Kildee-Doolan and Cameron Roach, though the strategy yielded limited success against Siena's organized defense.
The victory strengthens Siena's position in conference play, extending their unbeaten run to three matches following draws against Sacred Heart and Iona. For Niagara, the loss halts their momentum after a win against Iona and draw with Mount St. Mary's in their previous two outings.
Looking ahead, both teams return to action on October 25th at 2:00 PM, with Siena traveling to face Quinnipiac while Niagara hosts Saint Peter's. The Saints will aim to extend their unbeaten streak while the Purple Eagles seek to bounce back from this setback.