NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - The newcomers to the Mercyhurst women's basketball Nicolette Arnold, Jayde Boyd, Grace Centrulla, Lauren Klare, Brittini Martin and Paige Woodford combined for 50 of the team's 63 points, but it was not quite enough as the Lakers fell 75-63 to the Niagara University Purple Eagles on Monday afternoon at the Gallagher Center in exhibition action.  

The game lasted just shy of a minute before Valentina Pepic gave the home side the lead.  On the ensuing Lakers possession Meghan Komendarek pulled up and stuck a tying jumper.  Angel Parker and Pepic gave the Purple Eagles the lead back, but Grace Centrulla and a triple from Nicolette Arnold got the visitors to within 9-7 at the halfway mark.  Ally Haar and Kyra Grimshaw answered the Arnold three to extend the margin to double-figures, 17-7.  That was short-lived as a layup from Komendarek made it 17-9.  Niagara closed on an 11-1 sprint with the only Mercyhurst bucket coming from Komendarek at the charity line to trail 28-10 after one.

Mercyhurst began the second quarter strong as a Lauren Klare trey and an Arnold jumper closed the gap to 28-15 just 39-seconds in.  Olivia Mason stunted the momentum for a moment with a pair of free throws, before a Jayde Boyd three along with foul shots by Emily Shopene kept the Lakers hanging tough at 30-20, with six minutes remaining.  Parker, Mason and Grimshaw pushed the edge out to 35-20, until Paige Woodford picked up four for the guests making it 37-24.  Arnold grabbed the final Lakers point of the half capitalizing on a feed from Klare, as they teams went to the half at 41-26.

Arnold continued her strong afternoon beginning the third on a personal 4-3 run to trim the gap by one, 44-30 just 1:23 in.  Boyd and Komendarek continued to keep the Lakers involved with each hitting a bucket to make it 47-34 still with over five minutes remaining.  Brittini Martin hit the scoresheet for the first time on the day when she took advantage of a missed Parker free throw to run the floor and finish with a layup.  For the first time since the 7:20 mark Niagara would get on the scoreboard with Mason, Pepic and Parker putting together a 6-0 spurt to open the lead back up to 53-36 at the halfway point.  Mercyhurst made a statement the remainder of the frame as they closed on a 13-4 charge to get the deficit under double-figures for the first time since the first quarter at 57-49.  During the run the Lakers hit three shots from deep thanks to a pair from Martin and a solo by Arnold, while Komendarek and Centrulla chipped in down low.      

The Lakers struggled to score early in the fourth as they went 2:15 before Woodford cashed in from the right-corner to make it 60-52.  Arnold split a pair at the line, before Brooklyn Jones hit a layup to keep the home side out in front 62-53.  However, Centrulla got lost on the offensive end for a layup and Woodford crashed the glass off her own missed three bringing the margin to 62-57.  Consecutive Grimshaw layups opened the lead back out to 66-57 with 2:10 to play.  Arnold, Boyd and Komendarek accounted for the rest of the Lakers scoring, but it was not enough as Niagara held on for the 75-63 win.  

For the game Mercyhurst shot 40.7% from the floor, to Niagara's 43.1%.  The Lakers held a 7 to 5 edge in three pointers made, while the Purple Eagles led 20-8 on the foul line.  The taller Niagara barely out-rebounded the away side 34-30 (12-8 offensive).  Mercyhurst led in bench scoring 26-19, with Niagara taking a slight edge in paint points 36-30.  

Arnold, led the way for the Lakers scoring a team-high 17 to go along with eight rebounds and a steal.  Komendarek also hit double-figures dropping 11, while Woodford finished just shy of the mark with nine off the bench.  Martin added eight, while Boyd chipped in seven.  The freshmen duo of Centrulla and Klare combined for nine.  Emily Shopene also picked up a bucket.  Arnold paced Mercyhurst on the glass with her eight and was followed by six for Centrulla and five from Boyd.

Parker led all scorers with 21, while Grimshaw (14) and Mason (13) also reached double-digits for Niagara.  Pepic added eight points and eight boards.

Mercyhurst will begin their non-conventional 2020-21 regular season schedule next Tuesday afternoon at 3pm when they host Lincoln University (Pa.) at 3pm inside the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.