BUFFALO, N.Y. – In a battle of cross-town rivals, the D'Youville University women's lacrosse team fell in overtime heartbreak to Daemen University Wednesday evening by a score of 13-12.
 
The Saints (4-9, 1-4 ECC) were led offensively by Madison Handley (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) with five goals while Jillian Bernas (Cheektowaga, N.Y./St. Mary's) accounted for five points (2 goals, 3 assists). Lauren Parker (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt) led the team with six draw controls while Brinn Stworzydlak (Hamburg, N.Y./Frontier) had a team-high four groundballs.
 
DYU got on the board early in the contest with Handley scoring her first goal to make it 1-0 three minutes into the contest. Both team's defenses held the other's offense in check until the Wildcats got their first goal with five minutes left in the first frame. The Saints responded, scoring a pair of goals to take a 3-1 lead after the first quarter of play.
 
In the second, Daemen scored two straight to tie the game up, but DYU scored five unanswered to take an 8-3 lead with 5:348 left until the break. The Wildcats closed the half out scoring a pair as D'Youville took an 8-5 lead into the half.
 
Coming out of the half, Daemen continued the scoring, this time scoring four unanswered to take a 9-8 lead with just over a minute left until the final quarter of regulation. Madison Buck (Rochester, N.Y./Churchville Chili) helped the Saints draw even as they teams were tied 9-9 going into the fourt.
 
In the fourth quarter, it was a back-and-forth affair with each team trading blows. Heading into overtime, the Wildcats scored just 44 seconds into extra time to take home the win.
 
Stworzydlak earned the loss in net, making nine saves.
 
The Saints will hit Dobson Field one last time this Saturday, April 26th, as they host the University of the District of Columbia at 10 a.m. on Senior Day.