Sophomore Lindsay Hamann

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - Playing in their home opener at Niagara Field, on the campus of Niagara University, the Purple Eagles’ women’s lacrosse team (3-1) fell to St. Bonaventure (6-0) Wednesday, 21-10.

      There were four ties in the first half as the two teams battled through the game’s first 30 minutes. The Bonnies struck first at the 28:19 mark, as Katie Hurley tallied the first of her game-high five goals. But Niagara came back to take the lead with two goals scored just 15 seconds apart, first by sophomore Lindsay Hamann (Camillus, N.Y.), then by senior Rachel Jones (Tonawanda, N.Y.).

      The Bonnies responded with two goals of their own to regain the lead at the 19:27 mark, before senior Ashley Baker (Henrietta, N.Y.) tied the game at 3-3 at 17:19.

      The two teams traded two pairs of goals, including the first career goal for Niagara freshman Katie Gates (Penn Yan, N.Y.). With 3:02 remaining in the half, Robin Mason gave the Bonnies the 6-5 lead which held through to halftime.

      Both teams remained scoreless for the first 8:17 of the second half before the Bonnies went on a 6-1 run in a span of 7:22 for a 12-6 lead. Hamann scored her second of three goals at 12:07 before the Bonnies scored four straight.

      Sophomore Liz Johnson (Cortland, N.Y.) and freshman Emma-Lee Harrison (Lakefield, Ont.) each tallied unassisted goals at 7:55 and 7:28, respectively, before the Bonnies went on another four-goal run.

      In goal, Niagara freshman Whitney Gill (Canandaigua, N.Y.) made 11 saves in the game’s first 49:42, before sophomore Kristin Engel (Plainview, N.Y.) entered the game and registered three saves. St. Bonaventure’s Eboni Preston made six saves in the win.

      Niagara returns to action April 5, traveling to Binghamton, N.Y., to face the Bearcats at 4 p.m.