BUFFALO, N.Y. – Closing out their five-game homestand to begin the season, the D'Youville University women's lacrosse team fell in a nailbiter to Lock Haven University by a score of 12-11 Saturday afternoon.
 
The Saints (2-3) were led offensively by Sydney Gordon (Hamburg, N.Y.) with four goals while Sam Newlin (Austin, Texas) added three goals. Madison Handley (Lancaster, N.Y.) had a strong outing, accounting for four points (2 goals, 2 assists). Emily Fischer (Grand Island, N.Y.) and Madison Buck (Rochester, N.Y.) each added a goal in the contest. Newlin got the offense going, winning seven draw controls.
 
Lauren Smithers (Williamsville, N.Y.) led the defense, causing five turnovers while grabbing four groundballs. Lauren Parker (Syracuse, N.Y.) also grabbed four groundballs on the day.
 
DYU got out to a quick start, scoring a pair of goals coming from Gordon and Newlin to make it 2-0 after the first five minutes of action. The Bald Eagles got both goals back to make it 2-2 with 8:14 remaining in the first quarter. Buck and Gordon got the Saints' lead back to two, scoring on back-to-back goals. Lock Haven was able to tie things up after the first frame with a pair of goals in the closing seconds.
 
The Bald Eagles continued their scoring run, adding another goal in the early part of the second quarter to give them the 5-4 advantage. Gordon got DYU the lead back, scoring a pair of goals in under a minute to make it 6-5 with 7:29 left before the break. LHU regained the lead, scoring a pair of goals with just under six minutes to go in the quarter. Newlin knotted the game up at the 1:42 mark of the quarter off the feed from Handley.
 
Handley continued her scoring to start the third, scoring just over five minutes into the quarter to make it 8-7. The teams traded goals before the Bald Eagles scored two in a row to make it 10-9 at the 4:28 mark of the third. Newlin and Handley put the Saints back out of front with back-to-back goals to make it 11-10 going into the final quarter.
 
The Bald Eagles scored two in the fourth that proved to be the difference.
 
Brinn Stworzydlak (Hamburg, N.Y.) went the distance in net, making nine saves.
 
The Saints will now hit the road for three straight games, starting with a game at Georgian Court University next Tuesday at 3 p.m.