LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University lacrosse team (0-1) opened the 2022 season today (Thursday, Feb. 24) at home on Charlotte E. Smith Field, but visiting and 15^th-ranked Mercy College (1-0) won the non-conference contest, 14-7.
 
Josey Shaffer (Westminster, Md./Manchester Valley) led Lock Haven with three goals and Zoe Waddell (Catonsville, Md./Catonsville) scored twice for the Bald Eagles.
 
For LHU, Caitlin Morrow (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) and Abby Katrinak (Strongsville, Ohio/ Strongsville) each scored once. Casey Hibbard (Ontario, N.Y./Wayne Central) dished out two assists and Katrinak recorded one helper to help pace the Lock Haven offense in today's opener.
 
Lock Haven's standout goalkeeper Lauren Girardi (Watertown, N.Y./Watertown) opened the season with a 17-save effort.
 
Defender Gracie Chaires (Darlington, Md./Harford Technical) was credited with two caused turnovers and Elizabeth Newman (Hummelstown, Pa./Hershey) played well on defense as she tallied four ground balls.
 
Lock Haven looked poised to knock off the nationally-ranked visitors and the Bald Eagles led 2-1 midway through the first quarter. Waddell's first goal of the game came with 2:06 left in the first quarter and put LHU up 3-2. Mercy however led 4-3 after one quarter and the Mavericks led 8-3 at halftime.
 
Shaffer scored twice in the final 4:34 of the third quarter and cut the lead to 11-6. She struck again less than a minute into the fourth and final quarter and her hat trick on three straight tallies made it 11-7 Mercy.
 
Mercy's Jules Keenan led all scorers with six goals. Taylor Bishop added a three-goal effort in the win.
 
UP NEXT:
The Bald Eagles are scheduled to host Ashland University on Sunday, February 27 at 12 p.m.