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Niagara University Athletics

Morales
21
Winner Niagara NIA 8-8, 5-2 MAAC
16
Quinnipiac QU 4-12, 4-4 MAAC
Winner
Niagara NIA
8-8, 5-2 MAAC
21
Final
16
Quinnipiac QU
4-12, 4-4 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Niagara NIA 9 12 21
Quinnipiac QU 6 10 16

Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse |

Women's Lacrosse Wins High-Flying Contest At Quinnipiac 21-16

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – In a wild offensive matchup Sunday afternoon, both the Niagara women's lacrosse team and the Quinnipiac Bobcats put up their highest single-game goal totals of the 2017 campaign. A two-goal run from Quinnipiac made it 17-16 in the closing minutes, but Niagara scored four times in the final 1:53 of the contest to pull away for the 21-16 victory at Reese Stadium at Yale University.
 
Three Purple Eagles tallied at least five points, led by Rachel MacCheyne tying her career-high with seven points on five goals and two assists. Alexis Morales scored five times, including two goals to ignite the late four-goal run that secured the victory, and Caroline Crump added four goals and one assist. Alexandra Higgins set a career-high with 14 draw controls for Niagara, besting her previous high of 11 from a win at Stetson March 10.
 
With the win, the Purple Eagles clinched home field for the first round of the 2017 MAAC Women's Lacrosse Championship on Saturday, April 29. Depending on the results of the conference's final regular-season games, Niagara will host either Quinnipiac or the Monmouth Hawks.
 
Game Summary  
Game Recap
  • After Jillian Ford won the game's opening draw, Niagara worked the ball up field and Samantha Brill set up Grace Hunt to open the scoring 14 seconds in. From there, however, Quinnipiac went on a 3-0 run until Caroline Crump got Niagara back on the board at the 19:37 mark.
  • With 9:07 left in the first half, Quinnipiac's Julia Corrice put the Bobcats up 5-4, but Niagara used a 5-1 run in the final seven minutes to lead 9-6 after 30 minutes of play. MacCheyne, Crump, Alexis Morales, and Brill all chipped in goals before Audrey Fithall closed the first-half scoring with 32 seconds to go.
  • The two teams combined for seven goals in the first seven minutes coming out of the half. Two Quinnipiac goals to start the second were answered by Niagara as MacCheyne fed Crump to complete her hat trick, and Shea Swartwout scored 18 seconds later off the ensuing draw.
  • The Bobcats used a 5-2 run, including four straight goals, to tie the game at 13-13 at the second half's midway point. Crump and Hailey D'Hont scored 17 seconds apart for the Purple Eagles.
  • With 14:57 to play, Jillian Ford set up MacCheyne for a goal that would give Niagara the lead for good in the game. That tally was followed up by Morales' third tally of the afternoon, and Alexandra Higgins won the ensuing draw before a free-position goal from Fithall made it a 16-13 Niagara lead.
  • Quinnipiac used a 3-1 run over a five minute stretch to make it 17-16 with 3:47 to play. After MacCheyne and Quinnipiac's Briana Fitzgerald, Corrice scored two in a row to put the Bobcats within striking distance.
  • The Bobcats won the ensuing draw but turned the ball over, and Niagara maintained possession before Morales scored with 1:53 left, starting a four-goal Niagara run to close the game.
  • MacCheyne picked up her second assist of the game setting up Morales' fifth goal of the day with 1:22 to play, and Brill and MacCheyne scored insurance goals in the closing minute for the 21-16 victory.
 
Coach's Corner
  • Head coach Wendy Stone: "We battled for 60 minutes today. It wasn't pretty, but we kept our composure under difficult circumstances and finished it out. It was great to come out with the win today and to clinch home field in the first round of the MAAC tournament."
 
Inside the Numbers
  • The Purple Eagles will now play a home game in the first round of the MAAC Women's Lacrosse Championships for a second consecutive season. Niagara clinched its third-straight postseason berth with a win over Monmouth on April 19, the sixth postseason appearance in program history.
  • Niagara's 21 goals were the most for the team this season and challenged the program record for goals in a game. The Purple Eagles scored 23 goals in a win versus Howard on March 8, 2009.
  • Niagara dominated the circle with a 29-10 advantage in draw controls in the win at Quinnipiac. Alexandra Higgins set a new career-high with 14 draw controls, putting her back in first place in the MAAC with 95 draw controls in 16 games.
  • Rachel MacCheyne tied her career-high with seven points, scoring five goals and adding two assists. With 49 goals and 63 points on the season, MacCheyne is three goals and three points away from the Niagara single-season program records in both categories.
  • Alexis Morales tied her career-high with five goals on six shots on goal in the win at Quinnipiac, matching her goal-scoring total from Niagara's 2017 season opener versus St. Bonaventure on Feb. 20.
  • Caroline Crump and Samantha Brill also tied their season-high marks for offensive output. Crump scored four goals and one assist for five points, while Brill amassed three points on two goals and one assist.
  • Lauren Paul capped a strong week defensively by adding two ground balls, two caused turnovers, and three draw controls.

 Up Next
  • Niagara wraps up the regular season with its annual Battle of the Bridge matchup on Wednesday, April 26 at Canisius. The final game on the MAAC regular-season schedule, the Purple Eagles and Golden Griffins are slated for a 7:30 p.m. opening draw in Buffalo.
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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