BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Medaille College women's lacrosse team opened up their season today against the Buffalo State Bengals. The Mavericks lost 10-7.

It was a quick start for the Bengals. They scored at 13:28 off of a Maverick turnover. The Bengals fouled on a shot from Sara Geiser (West Seneca, NY, Mount Mercy Academy) giving the Mavs a free position attempt. At 10:53, they had another free position attempt, this time finishing with a goal. Katelynn Deveans (Clinton, NY, Clinton) netted the Mavs first goal of the game from Erin Hardick (Buffalo, NY, Sacred Heart) on a free position shot. The play slowed down for a few minutes until a good clear from the Bengals at 7:33. They would finish that possession with their second goal of the game just over one minute later. This would finish out the action for the first quarter. The Bengals were in the lead 2-1.

The Bengals started the action early again with a goal at 13:58. They scored on a second-chance shot. Deveans answered back two minutes later with her second goal of the game, this time assisted by Irelyne Tarbell (Akwesasne, NY, Salmon River). Cameron Briggs (West Seneca, NY, West Seneca East) won the draw and immediately drove to the cage to get a free position attempt. Kara Anderson (Mississauga, ON, Lorne Park Secondary) took the shot, but it went high. Briggs tied up the game at 6:24 after a free position attempt. Hardick nabbed her second assist of the game. Briggs hit the post on a free position shot to end the second quarter. Both teams went into halftime tied 3-3.

The third quarter started the same as the first two, with a quick goal from the Bengals. They struck again off of the draw twenty seconds later. The Mavs found themselves trailing by two now. They were struggling to get any shots off. At 7:57, the Bengals netted their sixth goal of the game. Any time the Mavs would get the ball, a turnover would follow. With 11 seconds left in the quarter, the Bengals scored again on a second-chance opportunity. The Bengals had themselves a 7-3 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

The Bengals scored even earlier in the final quarter of the game. They netted their eighth goal at 14:43 off of the draw. This turned on the Mavs' offense. At 14:06, Deveans got herself a hat-trick off of a ground ball pickup. Briggs was credited with the assist. Geiser found the back of the net at 12:51. The momentum was starting to shift. At 8:44 Hardick took a break from her assists, to score her own goal. The Mavs were inching closer. The Bengals stopped the Mavs' scoring streak with a goal at 6:31. The Mavs were not going down without a fight. Deveans won the draw, and Emma Grimm (Watertown, N.Y., Watertown) grabbed a ground ball. They drew a foul from the Bengals, and at 5:05, Briggs scored her second goal of the game. They fought hard, but the Bengals finished the game with one final goal at 2:24. That would do it, and the Bengals took the game 10-7.

Game leaders for the Mavericks were Deveans with three goals, three shots on goal, four ground balls, and two caused turnovers, Briggs with two goals, one assist, and three ground balls, and Tatiana Wright (Stratford, CT, Bunnell) in goal with 16 saves. She is credited with the loss.

The Mavs will play next at their home opener on Saturday, March 5. They will face Grove City at 1:00 p.m.