RIVERDALE, N.Y. – The Niagara women's basketball team opened its three-game road trip with an 80-62 loss to Manhattan College in its conference opener on Friday night.  

"This is not exactly the way we wanted to start conference play," said Purple Eagles head coach Jada Pierce. "We definitely need a stronger defensive effort playing against Monmouth on Sunday."

Tiffany Corselli led Niagara in scoring with a career-best 16 points. Sam Lapszynski scored in double figures in her third straight game with 14 points and added a team-high nine rebounds.  

The Purple Eagles and the Jaspers kept the score close for the majority of the first quarter. Kaylee Stroemple scored the first points for Niagara less than one minute into the quarter. With 5:21 left in the first, Corselli hit a 3-pointer  putting the Purple Eagles up 8-7. The Jaspers took over the lead with 5:05 left and the Purple Eagles trailed 19-13 at the end of the first quarter.

The Jaspers began to pull away in the second quarter, but the Purple Eagles remained persistent. With 4:30 left in the first half, Lapszynski made a lay-up, followed shortly by a jumper from Taylor McKay. With 1:12 left in the half, Corselli hit another 3-pointer and the half ended with the Jaspers up 36-24.

Lapszynski opened scoring in the second half with a lay-up 12 seconds into the third quarter. However, the Jaspers pulled away and Niagara went into the fourth quarter down 59-40. Jamie Sherburne made a 3-pointer with 4:21 left in the game, putting the score at 70-52, and with 21 seconds left in the game, Corselli hit her third 3-pointer of the game.

The Purple Eagles will continue conference play at Monmouth on Dec. 6 at 2:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3.

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