DAVENPORT, Fla. (March 8) - The Saint Vincent women's lacrosse team opened the 2018 season with a 22-8 setback to Simmons College at Northeast Regional Park in Davenport, Florida. 

Simmons, playing in its fourth game already this season, controlled the contest from the outset. The Sharks scored the first three goals of the game before SVC responded with back-to-back scores from junior Naomi Schwaiger and senior Maggie Nelson, cutting the deficit to 3-2 at the 21:43 mark of the first half. Simmons rattled off the next four goals and seven of the next eight scores to take a commanding 10-3 advantage midway through the opening half. 

Nelson would tack on her third score before halftime but Saint Vincent trailed by a 14-4 score. Sophomore Rachel Belles opened the scoring in the second half, momentarily cutting the deficit back into single digits. Nelson would tack on the final three scores as the Bearcats fell in the season opener. 

Simmons out-shot SVC by a 29-12 margin, including a 26-11 advantage in shots on goal. The Bearcats struggled to clear the ball, only converting 8-of-16 attempts. Simmons picked up 25 ground ball compared to just 17 for Saint Vincent. 

Nelson led all players with six goals, while also adding eight draw controls and an assist. Schwaiger and Belles scored the other two goals, while Courtney Kloos tallied an assist. Schwaiger also tallied four draw controls, three ground balls and two caused turnovers. Defensively, Claire Kenna recorded four ground balls and two caused turnovers. 

Saint Vincent (0-1) returns to action when they travel to Juniata College for a non-conference matchup with the Eagles on Wednesday, March 14. Start time is set for 4 p.m.