Skip To Main Content

Niagara University Athletics

MacCheyne
11
Winner Binghamton BING 3-6
10
Niagara NIA 3-4
Winner
Binghamton BING
3-6
11
Final
10
Niagara NIA
3-4
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Binghamton BING 5 6 11
Niagara NIA 3 7 10

Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse |

Niagara Overcomes Slow Start But Falls Late To Binghamton

NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Purple Eagles women's lacrosse team fell into an early five-goal hole against the Binghamton Bearcats, but fought all the way back to tie the game early in the second half. After the two teams battled back and forth offensively, it was Binghamton who found the game-winning goal with 1:59 to play, as Niagara dropped an 11-10 decision Wednesday afternoon at Niagara Field.
 
Rachel MacCheyne paced the Niagara offense with four goals and one assist, her third five-point game of the season. Jillian Ford and Alexandra Higgins continued their dominance on the draw, combining for nine controls on 23 draws as Niagara held a 14-9 advantage in that category. The Purple Eagles now turn their attention to MAAC play, as the team looks to its conference opener at Iona on Sunday, March 26.
 
Game Summary  
Game Recap
  • Binghamton took a commanding 5-0 lead through the first 10 minutes of the game. Rebecca Golderman scored twice in the first 2:10 of the contest, and Emily Yoo scored before a pair from Tiffany Ryan pushed the lead to five goals.
  • From that point on, Niagara shut out the Bearcats looking to narrow the lead heading into halftime. Rachel MacCheyne scored her first goal of the afternoon 14:25 into the game to get the Purple Eagles on the board.
  • MacCheyne made it 5-2 just over five minutes before halftime, and she set up a goal by Jillian Ford in the closing minutes to bring Niagara within two after 30 minutes of play.
  • It took just 3:15 after halftime for Niagara to tie the game and erase the five-goal deficit. MacCheyne opened the second-period scoring before Alexis Morales converted on Niagara's lone free-position shot of the second period to make it 5-5.
  • The Purple Eagles and Bearcats traded goals as the two sides contested for control of the game. Binghamton goals by Ryan and Jacqueline Kennedy were countered by Niagara goals from Morales and Samantha Brill, making it 7-7 with 18 minutes left in regulation.
  • 38 seconds after Brill tied the game, the junior captain set up Ford in front of the Binghamton net for her second goal of the afternoon, giving Niagara its first lead of the game. MacCheyne netted her fourth with 13:39 to play to give the Purple Eagles a late two-goal lead.
  • The Bearcats countered offensively with a three-goal run to take a 10-9 lead with six minutes left, as Kennedy scored back-to-back goals to tie the game before Golderman's third gave Binghamton the lead.
  • Grace Hunt picked up her lone assist of the afternoon with 4:34 to play, setting up Morales for a quick goal that tied the game once again, but Binghamton's Ryan was able to beat Andrea Francisco with 1:59 to go for the eventual game-winning goal.
 
Coach's Corner
  • Head coach Wendy Stone: "I am very proud of the effort today, fighting to get ourselves back into the game after a poor start. Our defense did a great job for the last 50 minutes of the game, but we need to find a way to put 60 minutes of good lacrosse together. We've learned a lot of lessons during our non-conference season and we will be ready to open MAAC play Sunday at Iona."
 
Inside the Numbers
  • Rachel MacCheyne tied a season- and career-high with five points in the loss to Binghamton, scoring four goals and one assist. MacCheyne also tallied five points vs. St. Bonaventure (2/20) and at Mount St. Mary's (3/4). She also had a game-high eight shots on goal.
  • MacCheyne (22+3) and Grace Hunt (7+18) are tied for the Niagara team lead with 25 points in seven games.
  • Jillian Ford turned in a strong all-around game with two goals, three draw controls, three caused turnovers, and one ground ball. Ford leads Niagara with 13 caused turnovers and she also ranks in the team's top five in goals, assists, points, ground balls, and draw controls.
  • Alexandra Higgins collected six draw controls against Binghamton, and she now has six or more in five of seven games this season. Higgins ranks in the NCAA's top 10 for draw controls per game and now has 43 in seven games played in 2017.
  • Niagara held advantages over Binghamton in shots (29-23), draw controls (14-9), and ground balls (21-20).
 
Up Next
  • Niagara opens a two-game road trip on Sunday, March 26 with the team's MAAC opener at Iona, with opening draw set for 1 p.m. After that, the Purple Eagles take on Rutgers from the Big Ten on Tuesday, March 28 at 7 p.m.
 
Stay connected with the Purple Eagles through social media. Follow Niagara Athletics on Twitter @NUPurpleEagles and for lacrosse updates, follow Niagara women's lacrosse on Twitter and Instagram. Check in with the Purple Eagles on Facebook.com/PurpleEagles and on Instagram @NUPurpleEagles.
 
Print Friendly Version