WLAX Falls to Cincinnati in Season Opener

CINCINNATI, Ohio - The Marquette women's lacrosse team opened its 2021 season with a 20-19 defeat against Cincinnati on Sunday afternoon.

Redshirt senior Megan Menzuber picked up where she left off last season for the Golden Eagles (0-1), scoring a team-high six goals to go along with three assists. Emma Soccodato (four goals) and Lydia Foust (three goals, two assists) also tallied hat tricks for MU. Sophomore Hannah Greving and senior Caroline Steller had two goals while Mary Schumar and Leigh Steiner scored once apiece.

MU shot out of the gates quickly, going up 4-0 in the opening minutes on the back of a pair of goals from Foust. Cincinnati (1-0) responded by scoring 12 of the next 16 goals to take a 12-8 lead into the halftime break. Redshirt senior Jules Horning started in net for the Golden Eagles and saved three first half shots.

Looking to make some halftime adjustments, MU head coach Meredith Black made a change at the goalie position, opting to go with senior Sophia Leva. The Macedon, N.Y., native went on to tie a career-high with nine saves and posted a .529 save percentage in the final 30 minutes of play.

Menzuber started the second half scoring two consecutive goals to bring MU back within two at 12-10, but UC answered with three goals to take its largest lead of the game at 15-10. Needing a spark, the Golden Eagles turned to sophomore Emma Soccodato, who went on to score three of her career-high four goals in a six minute stretch that saw her team go from down five goals to up two at 17-15.

Senior Caroline Steller, who led the team with 40 points in 2020, finally got on the board with two goals in a four minute span in the second half to put the Golden Eagles up 19-17. The Bearcats scored the final three goals of the game to go up 20-19, getting two from senior attacker Monica Borzillo, including the game-winner with 1:38 to play.

MU had a shot to tie the game with nine seconds left on a free position opportunity but its final shot missed the mark.

Borzillo led the Bearcats with five goals and six assists while Kylie Nause tallied five goals as well. Alyssa Adams netted four goals and Taylor Gysin had a hat trick.

UP NEXT:
Marquette is scheduled to host No. 2 Notre Dame at 11 a.m. Central time on Sunday, Feb. 21 at Valley Fields.

Keep up with the Marquette women's lacrosse program all season long through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteWLax) and Instagram (@MarquetteWLax) and `liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteWLax).