NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University women’s lacrosse team opens the 2005 season playing as the home team against St. Francis (Pa.) on Demske Field, at Canisius College, Friday beginning at 4 p.m. The following afternoon at 1 p.m. the Purple Eagles face Long Island University, also on Demske Field.
Niagara second-year head coach Anne Windover looks to guide 14 letterwinners and five newcomers to another successful season, after posting Niagara’s second all-time highest win total last season. The 8-5 team, which finished tied for third in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference final regular season standings but missed the postseason tournament due to a tiebreaker, graduated just three seniors.
The 2005 team carries four seniors, including 2004 All-MAAC First Team members Ashley Baker (Henrietta, N.Y.) and Rachel Jones (Tonawanda, N.Y.). Baker ranked fourth in the nation and led the MAAC in assists per game last season, averaging 2.00 in each of her 13 games. With 50 points on the season, she enters the new season ranked ninth among Niagara’s all-time scorers with 82 career points.
Jones tied for the team lead last season with 24 goals and added four assists to finish second on the team with 28 points.
Defensively, the team returns six Purple Eagles who combined to help post the third-best team goals-against average (10.31) in the MAAC last season. Second team All-MAAC member, junior Miko Daluisio (Lancaster, N.Y.), returns after leading the team with 21 caused turnovers and ranking second in the MAAC with 1.62 per game. Her 2.46 ground balls per game also led Niagara while ranking fourth in the MAAC.
Sophomore goaltender Kristin Engel (Plainview, N.Y.), with just 73:34 minutes of playing time as a freshman looks to step up into a bigger role this season, while freshman Whitney Gill (Canandaigua, N.Y.) joins the team after a successful goaltending career at Canandaigua Academy.
Niagara defeated St. Francis (Pa.) decisively in the teams’ only meeting all-time, as the Purple Eagles shut out the Red Flash, 18-0, March 16, 2002. The game marks the only time Niagara posted a shutout and ties the team record for the largest margin of victory.
Niagara also defeated Long Island in the only meeting between the two teams. In Windover’s Niagara coaching debut, she guided the Purple Eagles to a 7-5 road win, March 3, 2004.
