WORCESTER, Mass. – The Clark University women's lacrosse team (0-1) opened their 2023 season and the Ashley Stevens era with a 14-13 loss to Gordon (1-0) in a back-and-forth contest on Saturday morning from Granger Field.

How it Happened

• Clark netted its first goal of the season less than a minute into action as senior Elizabeth Liakos found the back of the net off a feed from fellow senior Sophie Didier to give the Cougars a 1-0 edge.
• After Gordon scored a pair of goals to take the lead, sophomore Meghan Fogarty scored a free position goal to tie the game at 2-2 with 7:57 to go in the first quarter.
• Senior Maddie Conners made her first save of the season off a shot from Becca Rhoda with 5:29 left in the first and didn't allow another goal in the frame.
• Senior Kiley Simmons tied the game back up at 3-3 with 0:05 left in the first off a feed from Didier as Clark was tied with Gordon entering the second quarter.
• Liakos scored the team's next goal and a Fogarty goal off a feed from Simmons gave Clark a 5-4 advantage with 7:43 left in the second.
• The Cougars scored the game's next two goals as Liakos and junior Greer McCarty each made free position goals to extend the advantage to 7-4 and took a 7-6 lead into the half.
• Fogarty opened the third quarter with a free position goal and after the Fighting Scots added the contest's next two goals, Liakos responded with a goal off a feed from Fogarty and gave Clark a 9-8 edge.
• Sophomore Aubrey Conners netted her first goal of the season with 5:32 to go in the third to five the Cougars a 10-9 edge, but the Fighting Scots would take an 11-10 lead into the fourth.
• Junior Mary Greene tied the game early in the fourth quarter after scoring a goal with 14:33 remaining, but Gordon scored the next three goals to take a 14-11 lead with 6:14 to go.
• Junior Angela Borelli scored two unanswered goals, with the first off a feed from Didier and the second unassisted as Clark trailed 14-13 with 3:03 left to play.
• Conners came up with a critical save on a free position shot from Brooke Roberti with 1:00 to go, but Clark was unable to find an equalizer as they fell 14-13.

Inside the Box Score

• Liakos netted a team-leading four goals and caused four turnovers.
• Fogarty added three goals, won eight draw controls, scooped up four ground balls, and dished out an assist.
• McCarty scooped up five ground balls, won five draw controls, and scored a goal.
• Borelli (2), Greene, Conners, and Simmons each scored.
• Conners recorded seven saves in the contest.

What's Next

The Cougars will return to play on Wednesday when they travel to Hartford for a non-conference contest beginning at 4:00 p.m.