SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College women's lacrosse team got its 2024 season started on a rainy Saturday afternoon, falling to IWLCA #21 Massachusetts Institute of Technology by a 19-11 score in non-conference action at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
 
Junior Greta Maurer led Union (0-1) with a career-high six points, matching her previous career bests with three goals and three assists. First-year Gillian Joseph also had a big debut with four goals and an assist for five points, while classmate Anna Dembowski had an excellent game defensively with a game-high six ground balls and a caused turnover.
 
MIT (2-0) was paced by Ashley Thomas, who had a massive game with six goals and four assists for 10 points, and Meredith Arterburn, who dished out four assists and controlled a game-high 10 draws.
 
The teams traded goals in the opening five minutes, with Maurer scoring twice to keep the game tied. Following two goals by the Engineers, Joseph and Maurer scored back-to-back tallies to knot the score again at four. MIT strung together three straight goals to grab a 7-4 lead with 6:03 left in the second period, but goals from Joseph and sophomore Maddie Doyle got the home team back within one at the half.
 
The Engineers started the third quarter with four straight goals on two each from Thomas and Sydney Pyon. The teams traded goals for the remainder of the frame, with Joseph as well as sophomore Lana Mickelson and first-year Hannah Compa keeping Union within five (14-9) after 45 minutes.
 
MIT put the game away with the first five goals of the fourth frame, led by a goal and three assists from Thomas, before Joseph and Mickelson closed the scoring for Union.
 
Both teams finished the game with 28 shots, but MIT had a decisive edge at the eight-meter arc with a 6-of-8 effort on free-position attempts. Sophomore Sydney Widlitz made seven saves for Union, while the tandem of Molly Dulde (six saves) and Pauline Vien (seven saves) split time for the Engineers.
 
Union will return to action next Monday, March 11, when the team continues its season-opening four-game homestand against Roger Williams University beginning at 5 p.m. at Frank Bailey Field.