SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Despite having a sizeable and vocal cheering section, the Niagara Purple Eagles fell to the Syracuse Orange, 81-30, at the Carrier Dome on Wednesday.
 
“Tonight we played a good Big East  team that is very skilled,” head coach Kendra Faustin said.  

Niagara (3-9) had an early 3-2 lead, but Syracuse (10-4) answered with a 16-0 run which was stopped by a Meghan McGuinness jumper.  The Orange led 53-17 at halftime.
  
The Purple Eagles scored six of the first 10 points to start the second half, but Syracuse pulled away for an 81-30 win.
 
Freshmen Val McQuade, Kelly Van Leeuwen and McGuinness made three of the team’s four three-pointers.  McGuinness scored a team-high seven points and tied Lauren Gatto for the team-lead in rebounds with four. 

 
“I was pleased with our defensive effort in the second half and our players battled all the way to the buzzer,” said Faustin.
 
The Purple Eagles will hit the court for the first time in 2012 when they start conference play in Baltimore against the Loyola Greyhounds on Monday, Jan. 2 at 4:30 p.m.