NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Meghan Andersen became the first freshman in Fairfield University Women's Basketball history to drop 30 points in a game, leading the Stags to a 77-54 victory over MAAC Preseason favorites Niagara for the team's ninth-straight win. Andersen was joined in double-figures with Izabela Nicoletti-Leite who swished through three big 3-pointers and Kaety L'Amoreaux who added 12 points.
 
"I'm proud of our fight and our toughness," Head Coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis said. "Everytime they threw a punch or made a run, we responded with poise and composure. There was obviously a lot of turnovers we would love to get back but I love the fact at how we stayed together and moved the ball. Twenty-two assists and 13 made 3-pointers is a huge statement
 
For the second-straight game, the Stags (11-1, 3-0 MAAC) led wire-to-wire as the Stags started the game on fire by connecting on six of their first eight 3-point attempts. L'Amoreaux opened the scoring with a trifecta in the opening minute and would be followed by Andersen going 3-for-3 from 3-point range. Fairfield would build a 31-8 first quarter lead on the back of a 13-0 scoring run featuring points from six different scorers.
 
As impressive as the first half offense was, the Fairfield's defense was even more stifling going up against Niagara's turnover prone defense. The Stags limited the Purple Eagles to 16 first half points while shooting just 14.3 percent. Niagara converted just five of their 35 shots over the first 20 minutes.
 
The Fairfield lead, which was as high as 29 in the first half was trimmed to 15 midway through the fourth quarter, but the Stags were able to find the buckets when they needed them. The road side swished through all four of their 3-point attempts in the quarter led by back-to-back clutch trifectas from Nicoletti-Leite in the closing minutes. Fairfield would close the game on a 11-4 run to account for the 77-54 final score, the seventh game this season they have won by 20 or more points.
 
In total, the Stags shot season-highs with a .560 field goal percentage and a .520 3-point shooting mark. They also nailed 13 3-pointers, just one shy of a season-high.
 
The six-time MAAC Rookie of the Week, Andersen led the Stags with a program rookie record of 30 points while going 5-for-7 from downtown. Nicoletti-Leite added a season-high 14 points and led the squad with six assists. Emina Selimovic paced the Stags on the glass with a season-high 10 rebounds.
 
The Stags will put their nine-game winning streak on the line again and close out their Western New York swing with a Saturday afternoon game at Canisius at 1pm.