LOUDONVILLE, NY - In the first meeting between Siena Women's Basketball and the Niagara Purple Eagles since the 2024 MAAC Semifinals, the sides combined for 63 turnovers and 46 fouls in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opener on Thursday in a game that lasted just over 2:15. In the end, the Saints avenged their postseason loss from one season ago with a 65-57 victory over visiting Niagara from the UHY Center. 
 
Four Saints (4-5, 1-0 MAAC) scored in double figures, while two recorded double-doubles in Zyriah Price (10 points, 10 rebounds) and Anajah Brown (10 points, 13 rebounds). Brown's 15th career double-double came while also joining the program's 500 rebound club, and Price recorded her second this season while setting a new career high with four steals.
 
Teresa Seppala poured in a team-high 20 points on an efficient 6-11 from the field, 2-2 from three, and 6-6 from the free throw line. Ahniysha Jackson dropped 11 points to go with a season high five assists and four steals.  
 
The Purple Eagles (1-8, 0-1 MAAC) started the game on a 6-0 run, with its well-known "Hurricane Havoc" defense causing early trouble.  Jackson broke the scoreless drought with a layup with 5:54 remaining in the first quarter before Seppala connected on a three-pointer from the wing followed up with a driving score by Jackson to tie it at nine apiece.  
 
Feeds inside from Jackson found both Ana Conde and Eszter Turi to give the Saints their first lead at 13-11 with 2:35 left in the first quarter. The Saints closed the quarter on a 18-5 run including 9-0 over the final 3:18. Siena led by as many as nine points in the first half before the Purple Eagles drew with one after a 12-4 run of their own sparked by their full-court pressure and aggressive defense.  
 
The first half came to a close with the Saints up 31-28, and the teams at 37 combined turnovers by the teams (22 by Siena).  Seppala had 11 points (3-5 FG, 4-4 FT) at the break, while Safiatu Kolliegbo had a game-high 12 points. 

With the teams each scoring 15 points in the third quarter, the game entered the fourth with the Saints ahead 46-43. 
 
A Talia Dial jumper tied the game at 47 all with 8:44 remaining in fourth quarter before a Seppala three-pointer from the corner off a pass from Jackson gave the Saints a 50-47 advantage with 7:40 left - one that they wouldn't give up again. 
 
Price turned up a gear as the fourth went on, pushing the lead back to five, prompting a Niagara timeout. The freshman went on to bury a three-pointer from the far side away from Siena's bench to extend the lead to 55-47 with 6:19 left.  After a strong layup to make it 59-51 and a Niagara response, Price got the inbound pass and pushed the ball up the floor past an aggressive Purple Eagles' defense and knifed a bullet pass down to Seppala for a deuce to all but seal the game away. 

Siena remains home on Sat., Dec. 21 to host Canisius at 6 p.m. from the UHY center. Tickets for the game can be purchased here.