PURPLE EAGLES WOMEN'S LACROSSE
Game 12	No. 4 Niagara Purple Eagles (7-4, 7-4 MAAC) vs. No. 5 Quinnipiac Bobcats (5-6, 5-6 MAAC)
Date	Saturday, May 1 | 1 PM
Location	Niagara Field – Niagara University
Series	Niagara Leads 7-2
Streak	Niagara W7
Live Stats	www.PurpleEagles.com
Live Video	ESPN+ - Frank Gallo
Twitter	@NiagaraWlax
Instagram	@NiagaraWlax

The Niagara Purple Eagles begin their quest for a MAAC Championship hosting the Quinnipiac Bobcats on Saturday in a quarterfinals matchup at 1 p.m.
 

SCENE SETTER

• The Purple Eagles concluded the regular season winning five of their last six games; they had their program-tying record of five straight wins snapped in the regular-season finale at Manhattan.
• One of the victories during the win streak came against the Bobcats on April 24 in a game never trailed. The Purple Eagles won 14-12 on senior day behind a team-best six-point output by Shea Swartwout and 14-save performance by Michelle Messenger
• The Purple Eagles are 5-1 at home this season which ties a program-record in wins.

 

MATCH TIDBITS

• Niagara landed six Purple Eagles on All-MAAC teams announced on April 29. Rachel Crane was named MAAC Rookie of the Year and Michelle Messenger was tabbed as MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year. Three Purple Eagles – Shea Swartwout, Lauren Paul, and Michelle Messenger – were named to the All-MAAC First Team which ties a program record set in 2002 and 2003. Rachel Crane and TaNia Cunningham were selected to the All-MAAC Second Team, while Crane also joined Lexi Braniecki on the MAAC Rookie Team.
• The Purple Eagles placed 24 student-athletes on the MAAC All-Academic Team to set a program record for the fourth consecutive season.
• The Purple Eagles lead the MAAC in ground balls per game (19.4), save percentage (.517) and are second in the MAAC in clearing percentage (.897). Niagara is 16^th in the nation in clearing percentage and fifth in save percentage.
• Lauren Paul is one caused turnover away from tying the program career record of 89 which is currently held by former teammate Alexandra Higgins (2015-18).
• Lauren Paul is third on the career ground balls list with 145. She is 11 away from tying former teammate Alexandra Higgins. 

 

#EAGLESTAKEFLIGHT

• Michelle Messenger is the second Purple Eagle to be named MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year following Kara Grooms who won the award twice (2000 and 2001). Messenger, who was leading the NCAA in save percentage when the 2020 season was canceled, finished the 2021 regular season third in the nation in save percentage (.545) while also leading the MAAC in goals-against average (9.81) and ground balls per game (3.4).
• Rachel Crane is the program's second-ever rookie of the year (Megan McNerney – 2000). The Rochester, N.Y. native is second on the team with 25 goals which are the second-most by a freshman in program history. She finished the regular season with 31 points which are second on the team and with six assists which are third.
• Shea Swartwout leads the Purple Eagles in goals with a career-high 34, in assists with 11, and points with a career-high 45. In the MAAC, Swartwout is second in goals per game (3.4), third in goals and points per game, fourth in points, and eighth in assists. 
• Lauren Paul  leads all Niagara field players in ground balls with 27 and her 2.7 ground balls per game average are fifth in the league. Paul ranks second on the career-caused turnovers list and third on the career ground balls list at Niagara. She is 19^th among active NCAA student-athletes in career-caused turnovers and ground balls.
• TaNia Cunningham shares team-high honors in caused turnovers with 12 and is seventh in the MAAC with 1.2 caused turnovers per game. She is third on the team in draw controls with 17 and has 15 ground balls.
• A three-time MAAC Rookie of the Week recipient, Lexi Braniecki finished the regular season with 22 goals and 27 points which both were third-most on the team.

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