STEUBENVILLE, Ohio (March 27) – In its 2024 Presidents' Athletic Conference opener, the Saint Vincent women's lacrosse team was defeated, 20-8, by Franciscan University.
 
Carolina Walters and Bailey Nicely each scored three goals to lead the Bearcats (1-5, 0-1 PAC), while Lena Coyne was a third SVC player to record a three-point game, scoring one goal with two assists. Madison Weber also added a goal for the Bearcats, while also totaling a team-best eight draw controls. 
 
Alexandria Votovich paced the Saint Vincent defense with two caused turnovers, with Weber, Coyne, Kloe Templeton and Gianna Murray each credited with one caused turnover apiece.
 
Kyra Lipetzky went the distance in goal and registered 15 saves, marking her fifth double-digit save effort of the young season.
 
The Barons scored three straight goals to open the game, before Walters got SVC on the board with a free position goal with 6:05 left in the first quarter. The Barons would then score twice over the final four minutes to take a 5-1 lead into the second frame.
 
Franciscan would put the game away in the second quarter, outscoring SVC 8-3 in the frame to take a 13-4 lead at the intermission. Nicely and Walters tallied the Bearcats' second-quarter goals, with Walters beating the clock by scoring her tally with less than three seconds left.
 
After Weber's free position goal with 2:46 left in the third quarter snapped a 4-0 Franciscan scoring run, the Bearcats outscored the Barons 3-2 in the fourth quarter, with Walters scoring once and Nicely twice, to account for the final score.
 
Saint Vincent will now have a six-day layoff before returning to action on Tuesday, April 2, with a 5 p.m. road bout at PAC foe Grove City College.