BUFFALO, N.Y. — Emily Hood's second goal of the season brought the Pioneers some life but could not fuel an eventual comeback as the Sacred Heart University women's soccer team fell on the road to Canisius on Saturday afternoon, 2-1. 
 
In a very fluid first half, it was the Pioneers who were limited in opportunities as the hosts provided a majority of the offense in the early going. Having home-field advantage and an extra fire for Senior Day, Canisius hemmed the Pios in their own defensive third for a majority of the first minutes, quickly letting three shots off with neither of them testing SHU goalkeeper Kyran Thievon as the warning signs of a long afternoon became apparent.
 
Having frustrated the hosts with their defensive ability, the Pios continued to lean on their "bend but don't break" mantra they enforced against Fairfield on Wednesday. With SHU limiting chances to a premium, the Griffs made their one clear-cut chance of the first half count with Emma Oliphant sending a looping shot that beat an outstretched Thievon and snuck under the bar to put Canisius up 1-0 before the break. 
 
Following the break, a once fluid tilt made way for a litany of whistles as the teams combined for 19 fouls in the remaining 45 minutes after conceding just five in the first half. Canisius found themselves on the receiving end of good fortune 15 minutes into the second half after a questionable foul along the SHU backline resulted in a penalty being awarded to the hosts which Alicia Zamora slotted home to put the Griffs up 2-0. 
 
Looking to claw back in the game, the Pios found an opportunity late in the half as Emily Hood capitalized for her second goal of the season – and second of her career – sending a shot from outside the penalty area into top left corner to give the Pios a chance at a comeback with 10 minutes to go. With SHU threatening, it was the Canisius defense that rode out the storm as the Pios could not complete the comeback, falling on the road, 2-1. 
 
Top Performers: 

• Emily Hood: 1 goal, 1 shot on goal
• Shea Kelleher: 1 assist
• Kyran Thievon: 2 saves

 
Of Note:

• Emily Hood's second-half goal is her first goal since scoring against Vermont on September 11. She becomes the fourth Pioneer to record multiple goals this season. 
• Kelleher's assist on Hood's goal is her first assist of the season and the third of her career. 
• With the loss, the Pioneers' season-long  four-match unbeaten run comes to a halt. The unbeaten streak is the longest for the program since an eight-match unbeaten run during the 2022 season. 

 
Up Next:
The Pioneers are back in action this week, taking the road to face Merrimack on Wednesday, October 23 before playing host to Niagara on Saturday, October 26. Kickoff against the Warriors is slated for 4 p.m. while Saturday's match against the Purple Eagles is scheduled for 4 p.m. More information can be found at sacredheartpioneers.com.