LATROBE, Pa. (Feb. 14) – The Saint Vincent women's lacrosse team opened the 2026 season Saturday afternoon at UPMC Field, but Alfred State College pulled away in the middle quarters to hand the Bearcats a 9-4 setback.
 
Alfred State improves to 1-0, while Saint Vincent moves to 0-1.
 
Saint Vincent struck early and matched Alfred State goal-for-goal in the opening period. After the Pioneers scored first, Cara Dupilka answered with an unassisted goal at the 4:31 mark, and Carolina Walters followed with another unassisted tally at 2:47 to even the game at 2-2.
 
Alfred State scored in the final seconds of the quarter to take a 3-2 edge after one.
 
Alfred State added two goals in the second quarter to extend its lead to 5-2 at halftime, then used a three-goal third quarter to create separation.
 
Saint Vincent got on the board in the third when Chloe Herring finished a feed from Melanie Seefeldt at 12:36, trimming the deficit to 5-3, but the Pioneers responded with three straight goals to carry an 8-3 advantage into the fourth.
 
Herring struck again early in the final period—once more off an assist from Seefeldt—to cut it to 8-4, but Alfred State added an insurance goal at 9:48 to close out the 9-4 final.
 
Herring paced the Bearcats with two goals, while Dupilka and Walters each scored once. Seefeldt finished with two assists, setting up both of Herring's goals.
 
The teams finished even in shots (20-20) and shots on goal (10-10), with Saint Vincent holding advantages in ground balls (19-13) and draw controls (8-7).
 
Alfred State's Maeve Runyon made 10 saves, while Cassidy Rega recorded four saves for the Bearcats.
 
Saint Vincent returns to action on Saturday, February 21 with a home non-conference matchup against West Virginia Wesleyan College. The game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoon at UPMC Field.