DELAND, FLA. – Niagara picks up the 11-10 win over Stetson Thursday night in non-conference women's lacrosse action in DeLand, Fla. Four Purple Eagles score at least two goals in the win, led by sophomore Lexi Braniecki, who recorded a natural hat trick.

Game Recap
First Quarter
• Stetson scored the opening marker with a goal at the 6:26 mark of the first.  
• Lois Garlow tied the game at 1-1 just over two minutes later with an unassisted goal.
• The first quarter came to a close, with Stetson leading 2-1 over the visiting Purple Eagles.

Second Quarter
• The Hatters lead would grow to 3-1, 1:15 into the second.
• Niagara's Kendall Schneider would get one back for NU, making the score 3-2 with 11:47 left in the first half.
• Stetson would score four of the game's next five goals to take a 7-3 lead over the Purple and White.
• Niagara's third goal was scored by Lucy Rugaber at the 2:35 mark of the second.
• Before the first half came to a close, Allison McCormick would put the Purple and White down three, 7-4, going into the break.

Third Quarter
• The third quarter saw three tallies by the Purple Eagles, two from sophomore Lexi Braniecki and one from Lois Garlow.
• Braniecki's first goal came with a player advantage, while all three of Niagara's goals in the period were unassisted.
• The three goals in the frame tied the game at seven heading into the final 15-minutes of action.  

Fourth Quarter
• With 10:10 on the clock, Rachel Crane gave Niagara its first lead of the game with a woman-up goal.
• Stetson would tie the game at eight with a goal of its own 22-seconds later.
• McCormick recorded her second goal of the game at the 8:01 mark of the fourth, starting a 3-0 run for the Purple Eagles.
• Niagara's next two goals were scored by Braniecki and Rugaber, giving the Purple Eagles an 11-8 advantage over the Hatters.
• Stetson would score the final two goals of the game but Niagara would hold on for its first win of the season.

Niagara Notes
• The Purple and White improve to 3-0 all-time against Stetson.
• The Purple Eagles won their season opener for the first time since 2019, a 17-2 win over St. Bonaventure.
• Niagara's Braniecki recorded the natural hat trick. The Canandaigua, NY, native had four games with three or more goals a season ago.
• Braniecki (3G, 1A) and Garlow (2G, 2A) finished with a team-high four points.
• Niagara finished with 17 shots on goal, 17 ground balls, 10 draw controls and nine caused turnovers.   
• TaNia Cunningham and Mickey Knapp led NU with two caused turnovers apiece. Cunningham also led the Purple and White with three draw controls.
• Garlow and Cunningham finished with three gorund balls to pace Niagara.
• Michelle Messenger got the start between the pipes for NU, stopping six of 16 shots.

Up Next
• Niagara will stay in Florida for a bout with No. 18 Jacksonville on Sunday. Opening draw between the Purple Eagles and Dolphins is scheduled for 1 p.m.