BOSTON – Making its 2020 debut, the Niagara women's lacrosse team dropped a 17-12 decision at Boston University on Friday evening. The Purple Eagles got five points (4 G, 1 A) from sophomore midfielder Jenna Brill, while Alina Del Toro earned her first career hat trick in the effort.
 
Game Recap

• BU opened the scoring 2:16 into the first half, but Shea Swartwout leveled the score just over two minutes later. Alexandra Leo provided the assist on Niagara's first goal of the season.
• The Terriers got two more goals over the next six minutes, but a Brill strike with 18:29 remaining narrowed the margin to 3-2.
• Mackenzie Travis helped Del Toro get in on the action 10 minutes later, stopping a BU run of five unanswered goals.
• Less than two minutes later, Travis fed Del Toro as the duo combined for another tally to make it an 8-4 game with 7:06 on the clock.
• Brill netted another goal with 3:42 remaining in the first. Niagara was awarded a free position shot, and the sophomore connected for the team's third straight strike. Brill's goal set the score at 8-5, and it would remain that way into the halftime break.
• After three Terriers goals opened the second half, a man-up goal by Allison McCormick with 3:35 gone in the half narrowed Niagara's gap to 11-6.
• Brill earned the hat trick midway through the second, nabbing her third goal of the game following an assist from Lucy Rugaber. One minute later, she powered through another free position goal for her fourth contribution to the scoreboard, making it 15-9 BU.
• Del Toro finished her hat trick just 25 seconds later, with Brill assisting on the effort.
• Brenna Duffy recorded her first goal of the season on a feed from Leo to set the score at 16-10. Two minutes later, it was Duffy again, this time on a free position shot that put the Purple Eagles within five with 4:55 to play in regulation.
• Kendall Schneider scored her first career goal in the Purple and White with 2:38 left, making it a four-goal game.

Defensive Spotlight

• Not only did Brill lead all scorers with five points, she also led all field players with four ground balls. Additionally, she forced a team-best two caused turnovers.
• Duffy led the Purple Eagles with five draw controls.
• In goal, Aubrey DeVeau played the full game, making 13 saves on 30 shots faced.

 
Coach's Corner

• Head coach Wendy Stone: "There are a lot of good things we can take away from today's effort. We battled a good BU team for 60 minutes, and will look to build on this against Harvard on Sunday."

 
Up Next

• The Purple Eagles will stay in the Boston area for the remainder of the weekend. After an off day on Saturday, they will take the field at Harvard on Sunday for a noon matchup against the Crimson.