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Niagara University Athletics

MacCheyne
15
Winner Niagara NIA 6-7, 3-1 MAAC
9
Siena College SIEW 1-11, 0-4 MAAC
Winner
Niagara NIA
6-7, 3-1 MAAC
15
Final
9
Siena College SIEW
1-11, 0-4 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Niagara NIA 8 7 15
Siena College SIEW 4 5 9

Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse |

Balanced Attack Leads Niagara Over Siena 15-9

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. – The Niagara women's lacrosse team is now 3-1 in MAAC play for the first time since 2003 after picking up a 15-9 win over the Siena Saints Wednesday afternoon at Siena Turf Field. The Purple Eagles turned in a complete effort with the offense scoring its third-most goals in a game while the defense tied its second-best effort of the year, also allowing nine goals at Iona in the team's MAAC opener.
 
Rachel MacCheyne posted her fifth five-point game of the season, pacing the Niagara offense with four goals and one assist. Caroline Crump added three goals and one assist, and Audrey Fithall, Jillian Ford, and Grace Hunt all tallied three points.
 
At the defensive end, Alexandra Higgins continued her impressive junior campaign, leading all players with five ground balls and six draw controls. Andrea Francisco made 12 saves in goal, including nine in the second period to help Niagara to victory.
 
Game Summary  
Game Recap
  • Niagara's offense dominated the first period, outshooting the Saints 27-8 in the opening 30 minutes.
  • Caroline Crump scored the first three goals of the game for the Purple Eagles, but tallies from Siena's Michelle Schwartz and Briana Sirianni had the Saints within one midway through the opening period.
  • Jillian Ford's goal with 10:32 left until halftime started up a five-goal run that gave Niagara a commanding lead of 8-2. Rachel MacCheyne scored a hat trick during the late run, and Audrey Fithall picking up her sixth of the season off a feed from Samantha Brill.
  • Two goals by the Saints in the final 3:29 of the first period cut Niagara's lead to four at the half, but the Purple Eagles responded by striking three times in the first four minutes after halftime. Grace Hunt set up a pair of goals by Fithall and Jillian Ford, and Brill made it an 11-4 lead with a free-position tally.
  • After Siena's Alexis Deaken scored twice in a 32-second stretch, but Niagara held Siena off the board for 11 minutes after that point. MacCheyne set up a goal by Alexis Morales before converting herself off a pass from Ford to push the Niagara lead to 13-6 midway through the second period.
  • Grace Hunt and Mackenzie Molodetz found the back of the net in the closing 10 minutes of the game, and goalkeeper Andrea Francisco rounded out the final period of play with nine saves on 14 shots on goal as the Purple Eagles closed out the 15-9 win over Siena.
 
Coach's Corner
  • Head coach Wendy Stone: "Today was a total team effort. We executed on both ends of the field and finished plays. This was our most complete game all season, and we look forward to improving again as we face Monmouth on Saturday."
 
Inside the Numbers
  • Rachel MacCheyne recorded her fourth game of the season with four goals and one assist, her fifth total five-point game of the season. MacCheyne extended her team-leading totals to 37 goals and 46 points, with her 37 goals ranking as the eighth-best single-season total in program history.
  • Grace Hunt now has 30 assists on the season after adding another two to her team-leading total at Siena. She is now within eight assists of Sandra Gallegos' single-season record of 38, set in 2003.
  • Alexandra Higgins collected five ground balls for a third straight game, adding six draw controls and causing one turnover. A Preseason All-MAAC Team member, Higgins now has 43 ground balls, 71 draw controls, and 25 caused turnovers this season, all of which lead Niagara.
  • Andrea Francisco's 12 saves were her second-most for one game this season, trailing only the 14 she made in last Saturday's Senior Day win over Manhattan.
  • Niagara's 41 total shots and 32 shots on goal were the most by the team in any game this season. The team's 27 shots in the first period were its most in any period this season as well.
  • The Purple Eagles held a commanding 20-6 advantage in draw controls and committed their second-least turnovers (14) of any game this season.
 
Up Next
  • The Purple Eagles now return to Niagara Field for their final two regular-season home games, starting with an 11 a.m. matchup against the Monmouth Hawks on Saturday, April 15.
 
Stay connected with the Purple Eagles through social media. Follow Niagara Athletics on Twitter @NUPurpleEagles and for women's 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.
 
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