NIAGARA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
NIAGARA FALLS — The Purple Eagles women’s lacrosse team opened up MAAC play with a 13-12 win over the Iona Gaels.
Game Summary
- Final Score: Niagara 13, Iona 12
- Offensive Leaders: Alexis Morales (3G), Rachel MacCheyne (3G), Shea Swartwout (2G, A), Caroline Crump (G, 2A)
- Defensive Leaders: Aubrey DeVeau (4 GB), Rachel MacCheyne (GB, 2 CT, 9 DC), Alexandra Higgins (2 GB, CT, 5 DC)
- In Goal: Aubrey DeVeau (1-4) – 8 GA, 6 SV
- Records: Niagara – 4-5; Iona – 5-5
- Location: Niagara Field – Niagara University, N.Y.
- Attendance: 156
Game Recap
- The first half started as a defensive battle before Niagara scored five unanswered goals to take a 5-0 lead.
- Rachel MacCheyne got the Purple Eagles on the board 6:23 into the half.
- Alexis Morales scored two goals in 34 seconds, with one coming a man-up, before Caroline Crump scorched a free-position goal past the Iona goalie on another man-advantage.
- MacCheyne scored her second of the game with 9:24 remaining in the first half off a feed from Crump.
- The Purple Eagles and Gaels would exchange two goals apiece to close out the first half.
- Jenna Tolzmann scored Iona’s opening goal with 8:19 remaining in the half.
- MacCheyne recorded her hat-trick with just under four minutes left in the half off an assist from Shea Swartwout before Pamela Giordano cut the Niagara lead to 6-2 only 10 seconds later.
- Crump recorded her second assist of the day when Samantha Brill scored to push the Purple Eagles’ lead to 7-2.
- Iona scored two goals in the first two minutes only 14 seconds apart to reduce Niagara’s lead to 7-4.
- Audrey Fithall scored her first of the season for Niagara to extend the lead to 8-4 before Maureen Murphy got another goal back for the Gaels 1:35 later.
- Niagara scored three goals in five minutes midway through the second half, with two goals from Shea Swartwout and one from Mackenzie Molodetz, to extend the Purple Eagles lead to 11-5.
- Iona answered with three goals in a span of 3:13 to cut the Niagara lead in half, 11-8.
- Alexis Morales recorded her hat-trick with 8:29 remaining in the game to increase the lead to 12-8.
- After Pamela Giordano scored the ninth goal for Iona, Samantha Brill scored Niagara’s eventual game-winning goal with 3:41 remaining in the game to push the lead to 13-9.
- Iona closed the game with three goals in the final three minutes but could not get the equalizer.
Coach’s Corner
- “We gutted out a win today. The effort was there on both ends of the field, but we need to clean up our play with the ball. We will work to be better next time out against Rutgers as we prepare for the rest of our MAAC schedule.” – head coach Wendy Stone
Inside the Numbers
- Rachel MacCheyne extended her team lead in goals to 29 after another three-goal performance. She now leads the team with 37 points.
- Caroline Crump registered a goal and two assists, pushing her totals this season to 21 and eight respectively. She is tied with MacCheyne for the team lead in assists.
- Alexis Morales (3G), Shea Swartwout (2G, A), and Samantha Brill (2G) all registered multi-point games for the Purple Eagles.
- MacCheyne added nine draw controls to push her team-leading tally to 54. Alexandra Higgins ranks second on the team with 38 after collecting five against Iona.
- Aubrey DeVeau registered her first win of the season after playing 51:50 and gathering six saves and eight goals against.
Up Next
- Niagara heads on the road for its final non-conference game of the season as the Purple Eagles battle Rutgers University. Opening draw is slated for 7:00 p.m.
