BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Saints of D'Youville University opened their season at home against the Findlay University Oilers with determination and grit, but a late push fell short in a 14-9 setback.

D'Youville displayed offensive firepower throughout the contest, led by captain Madison Handley's dominant six-goal performance. Handley consistently pressured the defense and provided the spark the Saints needed to stay within reach. Newcomer Ireland Costigan added a goal and two assists, helping generate opportunities in the attacking third, while Sam Newill contributed a goal and an assist to round out the scoring effort.

The matchup remained tightly contested in the opening half, with both sides exchanging runs. The Saints battled back to level the score at 5-5 heading into halftime, showcasing resilience and composure in their season debut.

One of the clearest bright spots came in the draw circle, where Lauren Parker controlled possession from the outset. Parker finished with 15 draw controls, powering the Saints to a commanding 23-3 advantage overall. Despite the significant edge in possession, D'Youville was unable to fully capitalize. Turnovers at critical moments, limited ground ball production and a 10-for-18 mark on clears prevented the Saints from converting extended opportunities into goals.

In the fourth quarter, D'Youville cut the deficit to two and appeared poised to complete the comeback. However, a key late goal by the opposition halted the momentum, and the Saints were unable to close the gap despite continued pressure.

While the result did not reflect the effort, the Saints demonstrated promise, competitiveness and areas to build upon early in the season. D'Youville returns to action Saturday, Feb. 28, against Davenport University, looking to clean up the details and secure its first win of the year.