NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara lacrosse team turned in a valiant comeback effort in the MAAC Tournament First Round against the Fairfield Stags. Trailing 9-3 halfway through the second period, Niagara scored unanswered goals to narrow the gap, but Fairfield held on for the 9-7 win Saturday afternoon at Niagara Field.
 
"I could not be more proud of how the team competed today and for the progress we made over the course of the season," head coach Wendy Stone said. "We will be back next year and will work to be even better."
 
Sarah Arndt scored two goals, while Caroline Crump tallied one goal and two assists for the Purple Eagles. Hailey D'Hont, Jillian Ford, Alexis Morales, and Cailyn Negus rounded out the Niagara goal scoring.
 
Defensively, Kara Martin led Niagara with four ground balls and three caused turnovers. Danielle Maio had three ground balls, two draw controls, and two caused turnovers as well. Andrea Francisco made six saves in goal as Niagara's season came to an end.
 
At 9-9, Niagara finishes the 2016 season with the second-highest win total for a season in program history. The loss concludes the Niagara careers of seven graduating players: Sarah Arndt, Elizabeth Benedict, Allie Bush, Gabby Gleason, Molly Gray, Danielle Maio, and Jaclyn Schreiber.
 
"We cannot thank the seniors enough for all they have given to this program in the last four years," Stone added. "They are a huge reason for the improvement we've shown and the success we have had."
 
Trailing 9-3 late in the second period, Niagara ignited the offense with a goal from Ford, as the sophomore redirected a pass that came from Crump into an open net to start the comeback bid. Arndt scored just 49 seconds later on a great individual effort to get Niagara within four goals. Goals from Crump and Negus followed to bring Niagara within two with 4:51 to play, but the Stags' defense held Niagara off the board to preserve the win.
 
The Stags (9-8, 4-4 MAAC) held Niagara scoreless for the first 13 minutes of the game, taking a 2-0 lead in that time. D'Hont got Niagara on the board at the 16:34 mark, breaking in on goal from the left wing and burying her shot. Fairfield's offense maintained long possessions against the Niagara defense, establishing a 6-1 lead late before Morales scored on a free position shot with 45 seconds to play before halftime.
 
After shutting out Fairfield in the second half of a 9-7 win last weekend on April 23, Niagara was unable to contain Fairfield out of the gates Saturday. The Stags tacked on goals from Alex Fehmel and Riley Hellstein in the first 2:29 of the second period, pushing the lead to 8-2. Arndt and Fehmel traded goals midway through the period, after which Niagara began its comeback run, but the Purple Eagles could not close the deficit.
 
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