NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – Niagara (12-6, 5-3) scored six times in the final stanza to earn a 14-10 win over No. 6 Mount St. Mary's (4-13, 3-5) Sunday afternoon in the quarterfinal round of the MAAC Women's Lacrosse Championship from Niagara Field.

All-MAAC First Team selection, Lexi Braniecki led the way for NU, scoring five times, while freshman goalie Katie Ling anchored a Niagara defense that caused 14 turnovers, with six saves. Rachel Crane, Lois Garlow, and Andra Savage also found the back of the net to help the Purple and White advance to its first MAAC Semifinal in two years. 
 
Game Recap
First Quarter
• The Purple Eagles opened the scoring at the 12:48 mark of the first when Braniecki found the back of the net for her first of five goals on the day.
• It would only take 10-seconds for the next Niagara goal, as R. Crane won the ensuing draw and beat everyone, including the keeper to put NU up 2-0 early.
• The Mount would score back-to-back goals to tie the game at 2-2 by the 10:08 mark of the first.
• Garlow would find the back of the net for Niagara's third goal of the game and her 40th of the season with 7:42 on the clock.
• Less than a minute later, R. Crane would find Braniecki who would give the Purple and White their two goal lead back with her second of the quarter.
• The Mount would score with 22 seconds left in the frame to make it a 4-3 game.
 
Second Quarter
• Savage and Jaclyn Crane would beat the Mount goalie to start the second on a 2-0 Niagara run, giving the Purple Eagles their largest lead of the half, 6-3.
• The visitors would rattle off three-straight goals before the half came to a close to go into the locker rooms even at six.
 
Third Quarter
• After five-plus minutes of scoreless action to start the second half, R. Crane would record goal number 53 on the season to put the Purple Eagles on top by one, 7-6.
• Mount would tie the game at the 4:36 mark of the tie things at seven.
• With 18-seconds remaining in the quarter Riley Latray would make her move and beat the Mount goalie for her first goal of the contest, giving Niagara an 8-7 lead, one it would not relinquish.
 
Fourth Quarter
• Niagara would keep the momentum in the fourth, scoring five-unanswered to start the quarter.
• Savage, Garlow, and R. Crane each recorded one tally, while Braniecki found the back of the net twice to give NU a commanding 13-7 lead over the visiting Mountaineers.
• MSM would score three in a 91-second span to make it a 13-10 game with 7:22 remaining.
• Braniecki would score the game's final tally at the 1:33 mark to secure the four-goal win for Niagara.
 
Niagara Notes
• Niagara improves to 3-4 all-time against Mount St. Mary's.
• The Purple and White finish the 2023 season with a 7-1 record at home.
• With three caused turnovers today, Sydney Huhtala now holds the new single-season record with 39, surpassing Alexandra Higgins' 2017 mark of 37.
• Riley Latray is now Niagara's single-season assists leader with four assists today, giving her 40 on the season. She passes Sandra Gallegos' (2002) and Grace Hunt's (2017) mark of 38.
• With two goals today, Garlow becomes the third Purple Eagle this season to tally at least 40 goals, joining Crane and Braniecki. It is the second time in the senior attacks career that she has surpassed 40 goals in a season.
• Niagara finished the game with a season-high 26 ground balls, with Huhtala leading the team with seven.  
• The Purple Eagles matched their season-high with 14 caused turnovers.
 
Up Next
• Niagara will head to Fairfield, Conn., on Friday, May 5 for the MAAC Semifinals, where they will take on No. 2 Siena at 3 p.m.
 
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