GAME 13
TOURNAMENT	2021 MAAC Championship Semifinals
SCORE	No. 1 Fairfield Stags 15, No. 4 Niagara Purple Eagles 10
LEADING SCORERS	Fairfield - | Niagara – Lois Garlow/Shea Swartwout (3)
RECORDS	Fairfield (12-1) | Niagara (8-5)
LOCATION	Raferty Stadium

 
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Purple Eagles were eliminated in the 2021 MAAC Championship Semifinals, 15-10, by the two-time defending champions and No. 1 seed Fairfield Stags on Thursday. The Stags erased a 5-1 deficit to advance to the championship game for the fourth straight tournament.
 
SYNOPSIS
The Purple Eagles soared out in front behind the three-prong attack of Rachel Crane, Lexi Braniecki, and Shea Swartwout. Crane opened the scoring 66 seconds into the game. After Fairfield tied the game at 1-1, Niagara reeled off four straight goals. Braniecki netted a pair,  which were sandwiched around a goal by Swartwout, and Lois Garlow added her first goal with 13:22 left in the half for a 5-1 lead. However, the halftime score would be tied at 5-5 as the Stags scored four straight goals to conclude the half.
 
Fairfield took its first lead of the game three minutes into the second half. Swartwout's second goal tied the game at 6-6 with 20 minutes remaining as part of a stretch of three goals in one minute. After the Stags went back in front 30 seconds later, Garlow knotted the game 20 seconds later at 7-7. However, the Stags seized momentum with a 4-0 run in five minutes for an 11-7 lead with 13 minutes left. Fairfield led by as many as six goals, despite Swartwout and Garlow each adding goals in the final two minutes.

EAGLE'S EYE ON…

• Lois Garlow netted a hat-trick and added an assist for four points
• Shea Swartwout scored a hat-trick.
• Lexi Braniecki had a four-point game with two goals and two assists.
• Jess Foley led the team with three caused turnovers which tied a season-high.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Niagara finished with its first winning season since 2004 and its win percentage (0.62) is tied with the 2004 team for the second-best percentage in program history.
• The Purple Eagles set a program record in goals per game (12.08), edging the 2003 team (12.00).
• Lauren Paul set the career caused turnovers record after recording two caused turnovers. She finished her career with 91 caused turnovers and her 149 ground balls are second-most in program history.
• Shaw Swartwout finished the season leading the team in goals (41), assists (11), and points (52). She ends her career sixth all-time on the goals list with 111 and eighth on the points list (139).
• Rachel Crane's 30 goals are the second-most by a freshman in program history.

 
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