NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – Rachel Crane tallied a career-high seven goals to help Niagara earn a 13-12 win over visiting Siena Wednesday afternoon in MAAC women's lacrosse action from Niagara Field.
 
Freshman goalie Katie Ling stopped seven shots and picked up her fourth career win to help NU improve to 10-6 overall and 4-3 in MAAC play.
 
Game Recap
First Quarter
• Siena scored the first two goals of the contest before R. Crane found the back of the net to cut the Saint lead in half with 9:19 on the clock.
• After Siena took a 3-1 lead, Lexi Braniecki tallied her first goal of the season and 39th of the year to put the Purple Eagles down by one, 3-2.
• Niagara would rattle off two more goals, both from the senior, R. Crane, to take a 4-3 lead with two and a half to play in the first.
• Siena would tie the game with 1:24 left on the clock, but NU would regain its goal advantage when Riley Latray found Lois Garlow for the Purple and White's fifth goal of the contest.
 
Second Quarter
• Siena would take a 6-5 lead over Niagara with a pair of goals to start the second quarter.
• R. Crane responded with goals four and five of the first half for the senior to put Niagara back up by one.
• The Purple Eagles took a 9-6 lead over Siena with goals from Braniecki and R.Crane, as the duo scored back-to-back goals in under a minute.
• After Siena made it a 9-7 game with a woman-up goal, Jenna Brill would find the back of the net for Niagara, to give the home team a 10-7 lead at the break.  
 
Third Quarter
• By the 4:26 mark of the third only two goals had been scored in the third, both by Siena, making it a 10-9 contest.
• Jacklyn Crane would join the scoring column for NU with her fifth of the season, putting the Purple and White back up by two.
• Garlow and R. Crane would give Niagara a 12-9 lead prior to the end of the third.  
 
Fourth Quarter
• R. Crane notched her seventh goal of the contest to start the fourth, giving NU its largest lead of the game.
• The Saints would rattle off three-straight goals to pull within one, with 3:35 remaining.
• Ling and the Niagara defense would stand tall in the final three-minutes making a save in the final minute to lock in the 13-12 win.  
 
Niagara Notes
• Niagara improves to 16-11 over Siena all-time.
• With the one-goal win, Niagara moves to 4-4 this season in one goal games.
• R. Crane surpassed her previous career-high of six goals set in 2021 with her seven tallies today. Her season total of 49 matched Garlow's 2022 total for sixth most in a season.
• The last time a Purple Eagle notched seven goals was Rachel MacCheyne against Marist on April 10, 2019.
• Sydney Huhtala led NU with eight draw control wins. The freshman also recorded one caused turnover, giving her 34 for the season, second most by a Purple Eagle.
• With an assist, Latray ties Jen Austin's 1999 mark of 33 for fourth most in a single-season.
 
Up Next
• Niagara will play at Manhattan to close out the 2023 regular season on Saturday, April 22 for a 3 p.m. opening draw. 
 
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