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BUFFALO — In Wednesday night’s regular-season finale, the Niagara women’s lacrosse team squared off against the Canisius Golden Griffins in the annual Battle of the Bridge matchup. Niagara pulled within one goal to trail just 9-8 one minute past halftime, but a seven-goal run by the Golden Griffins led to a 18-9 final score at the Demske Sports Complex.
Rachel MacCheyne scored her fourth goal of the contest 48 seconds into the second half. The tally was her 53rd goal and 67th point of the season, and she now holds the single-season program record in both categories. MacCheyne broke Mary Cutia’s 17-year-old record of 52 goals in a season and Sandra Gallegos’ 14-year-old record of 66 points in one season.
For the second-straight season, Niagara finishes the MAAC regular-season schedule in fourth place with a record of 5-3 in conference play. The Purple Eagles will play host to the fifth-seeded Monmouth Hawks in the first round of the MAAC Women’s Lacrosse Championship on Saturday, April 29. Opening draw from Niagara Field is set for 1 p.m.
Canisius started off the game with a pair of goals from Jourdan Roemer to open up a 2-0 lead, but Niagara got on the board at the 22:51 mark with a free-position tally from Mackenzie Molodetz.
Rachel MacCheyne scored her 50th goal of the season with 16:51 left in the first half during a 3-1 run for the Golden Griffins, with a free-position tally from Canisius’ Allie Stewart putting the home team ahead 5-2 with 11:35 left in the half. Niagara’s offense broke out over the final 10 minutes before halftime, scoring three goals from Shea Swartwout, Caroline Crump, and MacCheyne in a span of 1:10 to tie the game, and MacCheyne capped her hat trick at the 6:47 mark to give Niagara its first lead of the contest at 6-5. After the Purple Eagles’ four-goal run, Canisius countered with a four-goal run of their own before Audrey Fithall buried a feed from Grace Hunt to make it a 9-7 game at the half. 48 seconds past halftime, MacCheyne put Niagara back within one goal of the Golden Griffins with her record-setting 53rd goal of the season. Niagara would not score again until Molodetz converted on her second free-position chance of the game with 7:50 left in regulation. Canisius went on a 7-0 run over 20 minutes, and Molodetz’s goal made it a 16-9 deficit for the Purple Eagles. Freshman goalkeeper Olivia Schroeder made two saves late in her first game action as a Purple Eagle, but Canisius scored two more goals in the closing minutes to take the 18-9 win.
With the regular season concluded, Niagara looks ahead to the 2017 MAAC Women’s Lacrosse Championship, the third straight season the Purple Eagles have advanced to postseason competition.
Fourth-seeded Niagara will host fifth-seeded Monmouth at 1 p.m. at Niagara Field.
