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The Purple Eagles lacrosse team moved to 4-4 on the season with a tremendous 14-6 win at St. Bonaventure on Thursday afternoon. Niagara gets a chance to pick up its fourth consecutive win when the team opens MAAC play against the Quinnipiac Bobcats at Niagara Field on Saturday at 12 p.m.
 
Last Time Out
 

• Niagara held St. Bonaventure scoreless for nearly 42 minutes straight in Thursday's contest, scoring 12 consecutive goals en route to a 14-6 win.
• Hailey D'Hont led Niagara in scoring with three goals and an assist, while four other Purple Eagles scored twice.
• The Purple Eagles also held a Bonnies offense averaging 13 goals per game to less than half of that season average. Niagara caused 15 turnovers, with Molly Gray, Alexis Morales, and Alexandra Higgins causing two each.
• Andrea Francisco gave up just four goals on 10 shots, playing 54:20 before Zoe Parker finished the game in net.
• St. Bonaventure started the game strong, scoring on all of its first three shots to take a 3-2 lead 12 minutes into the game.
• In the final 16:17 of the first period, Niagara would outscore St. Bonaventure 7-0 to take a commanding 9-3 lead into halftime.
• Niagara continued the run with five more goals to seize a 14-3 lead with 13:48 to play.
• The Bonnies got three late goals, including two in the final two minutes, to bring the final score to 14-6.

 
Niagara Notes
 

• With the six goals allowed at St. Bonaventure, Niagara improved upon its MAAC-leading scoring defense, moving up to 51st in the nation with 10.13 goals against per game.
• The Purple Eagles also lead the MAAC in caused turnovers per game (8.88) and ground balls per game (20.5).
• Niagara is fourth in the MAAC with 11.5 draw controls per game, while Alexandra Higgins (third, 4.00) and Danielle Maio (eighth, 3.00) rank in the top 10 individually in that category.
• Caroline Crump's eight assists are good for seventh in the MAAC.
• Andrea Francisco is second in the conference with a 10.34 goals-against average.
• Alexis Morales has three points in each of her last two games, totaling five goals and one assist. Morales has recorded a point in seven of Niagara's eight games this season.
• Freshman Mackenzie Molodetz earned her first point as a Purple Eagle with an assist Thursday at St. Bonaventure.

 
Scouting the Bobcats (2-5)
 

• Quinnipiac comes to Niagara following a three-game home stand where the team went 1-2.
• The Bobcats won two straight games with victories over Army West Point on March 5 and UMass-Lowell on March 12, but they have currently lost two straight, falling to Vermont on March 16 and Hofstra on March 19.
• Niagara is 2-2 all-time against Quinnipiac, but the Purple Eagles have won both of the two games since Quinnipiac joined the MAAC.
• The Purple Eagles took victories over the Bobcats by scores of 15-11 (April 27, 2014) and 16-11 (April 11, 2015).
• Quinnipiac's 8.71 caused turnovers per game are second only to Niagara in the MAAC.
• Bobcats goalkeeper Kyle Larkin ranks second in the conference in total saves (67) and save percentage (.456) while ranking fifth with a goals-against average of 11.43. Larkin ranks 11th in the NCAA with 9.57 saves per game.
• Aileen Carey leads Quinnipiac with 12 goals in seven games and has multiple goals in four straight contests.

 
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