WLAX: Wildcats Drop Season Opener to Bears 

Utica, N.Y. - The SUNY Poly women's lacrosse team dropped their first game of the season to the SUNY Potsdam Bears by a score of 22-8. Five goals from Callie Johnson and three goals from Brinley Ronan made up the Wildcat offense, while Jayden Brown made 14 saves in net. 

The first quarter began with both teams finding their rhythm in goal, as both Kimora Swamp of SUNY Potsdam and Jayden Brown of SUNY Poly made key saves early on. The game was scoreless for the first several minutes before the Bears broke through with a goal from Lindsey LaDue with just under eight minutes remaining. The Wildcats would quickly respond with a goal from Brinley Ronan, tying the game at 1-1.

SUNY Potsdam regained the lead with a goal from Megan MacWilliams at 5:12, followed by a free-position goal from LaDue to make it 3-1. The Wildcats would answer once again, with Callie Johnson scoring a man-up goal to bring the game back to a one-goal margin. The first quarter ended with SUNY Potsdam leading 3-2.

The second quarter saw more offensive action, starting with a free-position goal by Tessa Pierce to make it 4-2 for SUNY Potsdam. The Bears would add to their lead, as MacWilliams added another goal, followed by LaDue's second free-position goal of the day, putting SUNY Potsdam up 5-2. SUNY Poly continued to fight back, with Callie Johnson scoring another goal at 8:58 to cut the lead to 5-3. However, SUNY Potsdam's offense remained potent, and LaDue found the back of the net again, extending the lead to 6-3.

Brinley Ronan would convert on a free-position shot, narrowing the deficit to 6-4. But just as SUNY Poly was building momentum, SUNY Potsdam responded with another free-position goal. The Wildcats would add on another goal, entering halftime trailing 10-5. 

The Bears would extend their lead early in the third quarter, scoring two goals to make it 12-5. A free-position goal by Callie Johnson at 6:16, would bring the score to 13-6. SUNY Potsdam would score three more goals before the end of the quarter, taking a 15-7 lead into the final quarter. Callie Johnson would score her fifth goal of the game in the fourth quarter, but the Bears would go on to defeat the Wildcats by a score of 22-8.