BUCKHANNON, W.Va. (March 14) - The Saint Vincent women's lacrosse team got off to a slow start and dropped a 15-5 decision to Division II West Virginia Wesleyan at Cebe Ross Field.

The host Bobcats built a commanding 10-0 halftime lead, out-shooting SVC by a 25-6 margin over the first 30 minutes.

Saint Vincent battled back in the early stages of the second half, scoring five of the first six scores over a 13 minute stretch, closing the gap to 11-5.

Junior Sarah Wallerstedt and sophomore Maggie Nelson combined to tally all five goals, alternating goals back and forth. The last score came from Wallerstedt with 17:51 to play. However, WV Wesleyan scored the final four goals and kept the SVC offense in check over the final 17 plus minutes of action.

The Bobcats out-shot SVC by a 39-17 margin in the game. The two teams split the draw controls, both winning 11 each. However, turnovers played a big role in the outcome, as the Bearcats committed 23 in the contest, including 14 in the first half.

Freshman Maria Franey made a career-high 16 saves in net for SVC. Wallerstedt chipped in a team-best five draw controls, while Nelson and Katie Stallings each racked up a team-high three ground balls.

Saint Vincent falls to 0-5 overall, while Wesleyan improved to 2-4 overall.

The Bearcats return to action when they host Frostburg State at the SVC Turf on Wednesday, March 16. Start time for the Bearcats' home opener is scheduled for 4 p.m. The contest is the last non-conference contest before ORLC play commences this weekend.