Niagara University, N.Y. — Maive Partlow scored the game-winning goal with four minutes left in regulation Wednesday as Niagara held off a four-goal Iona comeback to claim an 11-10 women's lacrosse victory in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action.

The Purple Eagles improved to 3-7 overall and 2-0 in MAAC play. The Gaels fell to 3-7, 0-2.

Iona struck first, with Alyssa Castellano finishing an assist from Abby Axe at 10:22 and Brianna Reynolds converting a feed from Jocelyn Smith at 5:24 to put the Gaels ahead 2-0.

Niagara answered with three straight goals to close the quarter. Partlow got the Purple Eagles on the board at 4:34, then Michaela Delles converted a free-position shot at 2:57 to tie the game. Kensington Keane added another free-position goal with 49 seconds remaining to give Niagara a 3-2 lead after one.

Niagara extended its lead to 6-3 at the half behind a dominant stretch of scoring. Maddy Gill opened the quarter with a goal at 10:09, and after Iona's Sydney Grassi converted a free-position shot to pull within 4-3, Gill answered again at 4:43 to push the advantage back to two. Delles capped the half with another free-position goal in the final 12 seconds, giving Niagara a 6-3 advantage.

The Purple Eagles outscored Iona 4-2 to take a 10-6 lead into the fourth quarter. Delles opened the period with a goal at 12:41 to make it 7-3, but Iona's Maliya Haddock answered on a free-position shot to cut it to 7-4. Gill and Partlow then scored back-to-back to push the lead to 9-4, before Emma Alexander, assisted by Avery Olschefskie, made it 10-4 at 4:46.

Iona closed the quarter with two late goals from Castellano, the second a man-up conversion at 1:08 off an assist from Calen Norton to trim the deficit to 10-6 heading to the fourth.

Iona mounted a rally, scoring four straight goals to tie the game at 10-10 with under five minutes remaining. Smith scored at 14:17, Grassi added one at 12:56 and Haddock converted at 8:39 before Norton, assisted by Bella Duffy, knotted the score at 4:57.

Niagara responded immediately. Gill won the ensuing draw control and Partlow delivered the game-winner at 4:01, her third goal of the afternoon, to put the Purple Eagles ahead for good at 11-10.

Iona had multiple chances in the final minutes but could not equalize, with Haley Terry turning away the Gaels' last threat to seal the win.

Game Notes

Niagara is now 9-12 all-time against Iona

Gill recorded her third hat-trick of the season

Delles tallied back-to-back hat-tricks for the first time this season

Partlow registered her second hat-trick of the season

Up Next

Niagara continues their home stretch facing Siena Saturday March 28 at 11 a.m. at Niagara Field.