FAIRFIELD, Conn. — With three games remaining in the regular season, the Sacred Heart University women's soccer team embarks on a monumental weekend, taking a trip to former Northeast Conference-foes Merrimack on Wednesday before playing host to Niagara on Saturday with a chance to secure its first-ever postseason berth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) in its inaugural season. 
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Pioneers split last weekend's slate of matches, taking down crosstown rivals Fairfield for the first time in program history with a 2-1 win last Wednesday before dropping a contested match against Canisius on Saturday, 2-1. 
 
Against Fairfield, the Pioneers utilized their "bend but don't break" defensive posture to stymie a potent Stags attack through the first 45 minutes as Kyran Thievon recorded four saves in the opening half. On the offensive end, it was Shea Kelleher's fifth goal of the season that put the Pios on the board in the 20^th minute as the sophomore forward shielded off her defender before slotting a stinging shot into the far post to put the Pios up, 1-0. In the 40^th minute, it was the dogged work from Grace O'Hara that earned a free kick for the Pios at the edge of the Stags penalty area, creating a dangerous opportunity for the Pios to extend the lead. With a green light to shoot, Miriam Shomstein slotted a curling ball past the Stags goalkeeper and into the corner for her first collegiate goal, doubling the Pioneers lead heading into the halftime break. 
 
In the second half, the Pioneer defense held strong for a majority of the frame as the barrage of shots from the visitors continued making their way towards Thievon. In the 73^rd minute, the Stags pulled within one, utilizing some nifty passes to find a forward on the flank who slotted a ball past Thievon and into the netting to cut the lead in half. In the waning stages, Thievon provided the heroics, stymying a goal-line header in the final moments of the match before an errant shot at the death missed the goal to give the Pios a 2-1 win. 
 
On Saturday, the Pios once again faced tough opposition but could not find the heroics needed to earn a point as Emily Hood's second goal of the season in the 79^th minute sparked a last minute comeback attempt that came up empty for SHU. The Griffs, late in the first half, tallied their first goal of the match with a looping ball that just beat the glove of Thievon for a 1-0 lead into the break. Just over 15 minutes into the second half, the Pios gave up a penalty, much to the surprise of everyone in Red & White, that Canisius converted to gain a 2-0 advantage. Hood's goal provided a spark as the Pios attempted the comeback but could not come up with the tying goal, falling on the road 2-1. 
 
ON MERRIMACK
Former-NEC opposition Merrimack (5-8-3, 3-5-2 MAAC) heads into the matchweek tied with the Pioneers on points (11) with an opportunity to control their own destiny with only two conference matches left. The Warriors are coming off a 2-2 tie against Manhattan and are currently on a five-game winless streak, amassing an 0-3-2 record in their last five. Merrimack's last win came at home to Siena College in what was a 1-0 midweek victory. 
 
The Warriors are led by Isabella Keogh who has seven points on the year via three goals and one helper in 16 appearances. Keogh is tied with senior Ella Cormier in goals with both having netted three this season including Cormier's tally against Manhattan. Three Warriors are tied for the team lead in assists with two on the season including Adrianna Marinello and Daniela Almeida who grabbed their second assists of the season against the Jaspers. In goal, Lily Morgan has played in all but one match this season, amassing a 1.88 goals against average and .782 save percentage and has recorded five shutouts this season.
 
Gabe Mejail leads the Warriors in his 41^st season with the program, amassing a 493-253-65 record during his time at Merrimack. The Pioneers own a 5-1 record all-time against Merrimack, falling for the first time to the Warriors last season via a 1-0 scoreline in North Andover, Mass. 
 
ON NIAGARA
The Purple Eagles (5-6-3, 1-5-3 MAAC) head into the matchweek needing to win-out, and get some help from other teams ahead of them in the standings, in order to earn a postseason berth. Niagara entertains Siena on Wednesday before heading to the Nutmeg State for Saturday's contest. The Purple Eagles head into the week on an eight-match winless skid, going 0-5-3 during that span including last Saturday's scoreless draw against Saint Peter's.
 
Isabella Mazzaferro leads the Purple Eagles with 15 points this season, courtesy of six goals and three assists in 14 matches. The sophomore forward had a five-match goal streak earlier in the season and recorded an assist as her last point against Fairfield in late September. Mazzaferro is tied with Emma Bough in assists with both having grabbed three this season. In goal, Maddie Crosbie has played in every match for Niagara, tallying impressive numbers including a .865 save percentage coupled with a 0.93 goals against average. 
 
Eric Dade serves as the interim head coach for the Purple Eagles, grabbing a 2-5-3 record in his short tenure in the Empire State. Assistant coach Marissa Birzon recorded her first win as a head coach this season. Saturday's meeting is the first all-time meeting between the two programs. 
 
DON'T LOOK NOW
The Pioneers are in control of their own playoff destiny heading into the final three matches of the regular season as they currently sit in a five-way tie for positions 6-10 in the MAAC, with each team tied on 11 points. The Pios, currently in ninth-place in the standings, also sit one point back of fifth place Manhattan with an equal number of matches played. 
 
The Pioneers will also need help to make the postseason as SHU currently does not hold a tiebreaker over the three teams ahead of them in the standings: Mount St. Mary's, Iona and Marist. 
 
Full tiebreaking procedures can be found here.