Gwynedd, Pa. (Feb. 22, 2023) - Alvernia University (1-0) jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the first quarter and never looked back as the Golden Wolves opened their 2023 season with a 19-8 win over Gwynedd Mercy University (1-1) on Wednesday evening in non-conference women's lacrosse action at Gwynedd Mercy.

Alvernia wasted no time getting its scoring started as Haleigh Lackner took the opening draw straight to goal to give the Golden Wolves an early 1-0 lead.

The Griffins evened it up at 1-1 just under two minutes later, but Alvernia retook the lead, 2-1-, on a free-position goal by Natalie Frantz. 

Both teams went scoreless for the next six minutes until Olivia McCambly made it a 3-1 game on a free-position goal with 4:54 to play in the opening frame. Two minutes later, Alverni built on its lead as Meagan Moky scored off a ground ball pickup to make it a 4-1 contest.

The Golden Wolves closed the quarter with Lackner finding Mackenzie McKinney to make it a 5-1 game going into the second quarter.

The Griffins got one back 1:28 into the second quarter to cut Alvernia's lead to three, 5-2, but a goal from Frantz two minutes later put Alvernia back up by four, 6-2.

The Griffins got back within three once more, 6-3, before a goal from Lackner sparked a 4-0 run over the next six and a half minutes. Along with Lackner, McKinney, Moky, and Olivia McCambly netted goals during the run.

A goal from the Griffins on a free position shot with 36 seconds left in the half put an end to Alvernia's run, but Lackner closed out the half with her third goal of the half to give Alvernia an 11-4 lead going into the third quarter. 

Gwynedd Mercy struck first in the second half when Kristin Varilla found the back of the net to bring the Griffins within six, 11-5 with 12 minutes to play in the third. 

The Golden Wolves responded with a 3-0 run over six minutes of play to extend the lead to nine, 14-5 with two minutes left in the third quarter. Alvernia's Sophia Ruocco found the back of the net during the run and Lackner netted her fourth and fifth goals of the game. 

The Griffins pulled one back at the end of the third quarter to make it 14-6 Golden Wolves heading into the fourth quarter. 

Alvernia came out firing in the fourth with McCambly, Frantz and Moky tallying goals to push the lead to double digits, 17-6 with under ten to play. 

The Griffins responded with two goals by Varilla to cut the lead to nine, 17-8 with under six minutes to play in the contest. 

The Golden Wolves tallied two more goals for good measure with Moky tallying her fourth, and Sherrin Smith found the back of the net to secure the 19-8 victory. 

Kasey Fox tallied six saves in net for the Golden Wolves and earned the win. 

Alvernia was led by Lackner with five goals and four assists as the junior picked up her 100th career point in the season-opener. Moky tallied four goals, and Frantz and McCambly both added three. Lackner led the team with 14 draw controls and five caused turnovers. 

The Golden Wolves are back in action Saturday when they travel to Immaculata at 1:00 PM.