STAFF REPORTS
news@allwnynews.com
NIAGARA UNIV. — The Purple Eagles women’s lacrosse team held the Yale Bulldogs in check early in the first-ever matchup between the two teams. Niagara tied the game at 3-3 with 7:46 to play in the first period, but Yale went on a 9-0 run over more than 30 minutes and the Bulldogs went on to win 13-4 Monday afternoon at Niagara Field.
Both teams struggled to find their way offensively in wintry conditions throughout the first period. Yale opened up a 2-0 lead in the first ten minutes as Tess McEvoy scored on a free-position shot and Izzy Nixon doubled the lead at the 20:24 mark. Niagara would tie the game 2-2 with 11:04 to play until halftime, as Caroline Crump set up a pair of goals scored by Jillian Ford and Hailey D’Hont.
Yale’s Hope Hanley set up Emily Granger to make it 3-2 at the 8:38 mark, but Niagara came back to tie the game again 52 seconds later on a free-position goal by Alexis Morales. Victoria Moore returned the lead to Yale for good at the 5:07 mark, sparking a three-goal run leading into halftime as McEvoy scored twice more at the end of the first period, including a long shot with one second left on the clock.
The Bulldogs held Niagara’s offense in check throughout the second period, allowing just one goal by the Purple Eagles with 2:20 left in the game. Yale scored three times in the opening 7:27 of the second period, and Niagara turned to Aubrey DeVeau in goal after the Bulldogs took a 9-3 lead. After Yale scored twice in the final five minutes to make it a 12-3 game, Niagara got on the board with its fourth goal of the day as Crump set up Rachel MacCheyne for her first goal of the game. McEvoy tacked on her fifth goal of the afternoon for the Bulldogs with 38 seconds to play to give Yale the 13-4 win.
The Purple Eagles will return to Niagara Field on March 22 to host the Binghamton Bearcats. Opening draw is set for 2 p.m.
All WNY is made possible thanks to coffee and sleep deprivation.
We appreciate your readership. We like money, too.
