BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Five Stags scored in double figures and the Fairfield University Women's Basketball team held on for a nail-biting 75-72 victory against Niagara. The win was their fourth-straight and boosted their conference record to 11-1, matching their best conference start in a decade.
 
"This one was a gut check," Head Coach Joe Frager said. "I'm super proud of our kids. I thought Niagara played a very tough game and they are super physical. We played a good chunk of the second half without Lou Lopez-Senechal and then Rachel Hakes fouled out and those are two players for us. I thought we stepped up and made key plays when we had to."
 
The MAAC's leading scorer Lopez-Senechal left the game in the final minute of the third quarter after sustaining an injury. The senior was red-hot from the floor before the injury as she netted nine of her 15 points in the period, helping the Stags to a nine-point lead at 56-47.
 
Niagara would claw back starting the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run to cut the lead to a single point. Hakes would stop the Niagara run as she grabbed an offensive rebound and converted the put back. That would start a 9-3 run that was capped by a long 3-pointer near mid court by Hakes that beat the shot clock.
 
Sam Lewis would also hit a pair of 3-pointers inside the final four minutes that helped the Stags to a 70-65 lead in the last minute. Fifteen points would be scored in that final minute as the Purple Eagles were able to claw their way to a two-point deficit with nine seconds remaining.
 
Lewis and Janelle Brown would combine to go 6-for-6 from the free throw in the final 18 seconds of the game. Brown connected on a career-high seven free throws in the win, going 7-for-8 from the charity stripe. As a team, the Stags would hit 16 of their 19 free throw attempts.
 
Sydney Lowery would tie Lopez-Senecal for the team lead with 15 points, including a team best 11 in the second quarter. The Stags were able to erase Niagara's four-point lead in that period, helped by eight-straight from Lowery.
 
Lopez-Senechal was in the midst of another great shooting night before her injury as she was 6-for-10 from the field and 3-for-5 from 3-point range.
 
Hakes fouled out with two minutes left in the game but the Stags did a good job protecting the ball without her on the court with only one miscue against a team that leads the nation in forced turnovers.
 
Sam Lewis chipped in 11 and Callie Cavanaugh added 10 as the Stags had five double digit scorers for the first time this season. Hakes also led the team with seven assists.
 
Fairfield boosted their conference record to 11-1, matching their best conference start since the 2011-12 team.
 
The Stags will close out a busy week as they play their third game in a five-day span when they welcome Canisius to Webster Bank Arena on Saturday at 2pm.