BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Niagara Purple Eagles were not able to overcome a slow start as they fell to the Lehigh Mountain Hawks, 14-7, in their season opener on Sunday.
 
"Lehigh played a very poised and controlled game today," head coach Wendy Stone said. "We came out and made too many mistakes early on to get momentum swinging in our direction. "
 
Hannah Barnett got the scoring started for Niagara on a goal off of a Grace Hunt assist at the 9:53 mark. Later in the first half, Danielle Maio scored her first of two goals at the 1:13 mark off an assist from Barnett. The Purple Eagles would go into halftime trailing 7-2.
 
The second half was the Taylor Wolf show. The sophomore put home her first goal at 19:11, off a Cailyn Negus helper. Wolf would add three more goals late in the half to give her four on the day. Her four goals are a new career high, topping her previous high of three goals which occurred on three different occasions last season.
 
Maio's second goal of the afternoon would come at 8:43 off another assist from Barnett.
 
"Today was a first step for us in what is a very long season, there were a lot of positives today, and many things for us to work on going forward," said Stone. "We will work to make sure we are better next time out."
 
The Purple and White next take the field on Tuesday, February 24 for their home opener against the Binghamton Bearcats at 3:00 p.m. Niagara lost last season's meeting 17-7 at Binghamton.