MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The RMU women's lacrosse team (3-6) dropped its conference home opener to Youngstown State (1-7) with a final score of 5-4 on Thursday afternoon at Joe Walton Stadium.
 
FIRST HALF
The Penguins got on the scoreboard first at 13:49 on a goal from Claire Baenziger off an assist from Molly Brooks to begin the contest. With 2:54 left on the clock RMU struck, with Amanda Dolis scoring a woman-up goal off an assist from Lea Otts to knot the game at 1-1. Youngstown State returned the favor with a goal of their own on a free position shot from Baenziger with 48 seconds left to make it 2-1 at the end of the first.
 
The second quarter was a defensive battle as neither team was able to record a goal to close out the half. The second quarter featured four shots by the Penguins, with two coming on goal, and five shots by RMU, with three on goal. The teams totaled seven turnovers in the second quarter, with YSU recording three and RMU with four.
 
SECOND HALF
40 seconds into the second half, Youngstown State struck, extending its lead to two following a goal by Brooks with the assist going to Alexis Kreutzer. RMU would answer right back, though with a goal of their own just over a minute later as Jade Doldo found the back of the net off an assist from Taylor Burkett to make it 3-2. Youngstown's Lily Mttucci would quickly give the Penguins a two-goal lead again as she found the back of the net at 12:12 to make it 4-2 in favor of Youngstown State. The Colonials would go on two score back-to-back goals as Gabi Puzevic hit a woman-up free position shot before Taylor Burkett tied the contest up at 4-4 with an unassisted goal with 7:44 to close out the third quarter scoring.
 
The Penguins hit the eventual game-winner with 9:41 on the clock as Ava Kreutzer snuck one past the goalie off an assist from Gwen Bogash to make it 5-4. Youngstown States defense locked the Colonials out the rest of the quarter, including forcing some key turnovers late into the game to secure the 5-4 victory, thus ending RMU's six-game win streak against Youngstown State.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
Four different Colonials scored goals on the afternoon with Amanda Dolis, Jade Doldo, Gabi Puzevic, and Taylor Burkett all putting up goals for the Colonials. Burkett and Lea Otts posted the lone assists for the Colonials in the loss. As a team, RMU caused 10 turnovers led by Emma Hawks with three. Puzevic recorded the Colonials' only draw control on the afternoon.
 
In goal, Lucy Carney went the distance for RMU, allowing five goals while recording nine saves on the afternoon. Carney also recorded a team-high 10 ground balls, she now sits at 2-1 on the season.
 
For Youngstown State, Claire Baenziger led the way with two goals along with three ground balls and five draw control. In goal, Alyssa Edwards secured the victory for the Penguins, making five saves while allowing four goals.
 
UP NEXT
The Colonials will head on the road Tuesday afternoon for a non-conference matchup with Notre Dame. First draw is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in South Bend, Indiana.