Quinnipiac topped Niagara in a nail-biter Sunday to start the season 2-0 for the first time since 2007.

After a scoreless first half, junior midfielder Oriac Vila Rotxes found the back of the net in the 67th minute to put the Bobcats up one late.

“He has this real knack for getting in the right place at the right time and scoring goals,” coach Eric Da Costa said. “He’s not a natural goal scorer because of his position he doesn’t have a ton of chances, but his conversion rate is probably better than anyone we’ve ever had.”

With the Bobcats up one late, they turned to senior goalkeeper Jared Mazzola to keep the net clean. Mazzola answered with his second shutout of the season.

It took a full team performance to get out of this one. The Bobcats, no longer able to rely on star forward Eamon Whelan, had to find a new way to win this game.

“I don’t think you can prepare for any one guy and I think it makes it a bit more difficult to try to figure out how you’re going to stop us,” Da Costa said. “We have to just step on the field and perform still to make sure that we continue to be dynamic, multi-dimensional, find that rhythm, and create chances.”

One player who stood out in particular today but didn’t put his name on the score sheet was sophomore David Bercedo.

“He’s got a great mind. He understands the game exceptionally well,” Da Costa said. “He makes fantastic runs, not a big traditional number nine but we can play the ball into him and he can help us hold it and bring the team forward and connect.”

Quinnipiac will look to take this momentum into Thursday’s game against Siena.