VESTAL, N.Y. – The Niagara women's lacrosse team fell to Binghamton, 17-7, on Thursday afternoon at the Bearcats Sports Complex. 

Danielle Maio led the Niagara attack with two goals, while Paige Matecki, Erin Patenaude, Kayla Smith, Carrie-Jo Farrugia and Hannah Barnett added one goal each as the Bearcats (3-1) raced out to an 8-0 advantage in the opening half and never looked back en route to the victory. 

Freshman goalie Andrea Francisco started the game for the Purple Eagles, making three saves before Amanda Yavorek made her debut for Niagara (2-2).  The rookie wrapped up the contest with six stops.

The Bearcats scored the contest's first eight goals in the opening 12:30 piggybacked by Brianne Arthur's four tallies.  Maio ended the run with a Niagara goal at the 12:42 mark on a bounce shot during a free position attempt to make it 8-1.  Smith followed that with her fifth of the season, beating Binghamton goalie Erin McNulty over the shoulder, but the Bearcats were quick to stop the two-goal run as Sophia Racciatti scored an unassisted goal to make it a 9-2 game with less than 10 minutes remaining in the frame.

The teams would trade goals in the final four minutes of play, as Farrugia and  Samantha Karner would score for their respective teams to send the game into intermission with the Bearcats holding a 10-3 lead. 

The Bearcats opened the second half with three straight goals before Maio once again stopped the Binghamton run with her second goal of the game with 13:55 remaining in the contest.  Alex Fisher and Liz Hoeffner would score the Bearcats' final two goals as the game ended with NU pocketing goal number six and seven via Matecki and Patenaude. 

Binghamton held a 29-17 edge in shots and controlled 17 draw controls, compared to just nine for Niagara.  The Purple Eagles' defense also forced three turnovers, while picking up 10 ground balls. 

The Purple Eagles return home on Sunday, March 9 with a contest against Duquesne University at Niagara Field.  The opening draw control is set for 2 p.m.