SALEM, Ore. - Lewis & Clark College women's lacrosse played its first-ever Northwest Conference game on Tuesday evening, falling 16-8 to preseason favorite Willamette University at Sparks Field.
 
THE BASICS
 
Willamette 16, Lewis & Clark 8
(Lewis & Clark 7-3, 0-1 NWC)
(Willamette 4-4, 1-0 NWC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Sophomore Sage Swegle led the Pioneers with five goals on 12 shots, marking her seventh hat trick of the season. First-year Mack Searle added two goals, while sophomore Aviana Gonzales chipped in the final score.
 
First-year goalkeeper Kaitlin McRae made 11 saves and collected five ground balls in a complete-game effort, including nine saves in the second half. Junior Kate Meinhard also picked up five ground balls and added an assist on offense.
 
Lewis & Clark struck first when Swegle found the back of the net at the 12:28 mark of the first quarter for her 30th goal of the season. Willamette responded with three straight goals to take a 3-1 lead into the second quarter.
 
The Bearcats extended their lead to 5-1 early in the second quarter before Swegle tallied her second goal at 7:03 to cut the deficit to 5-2. After Willamette made it 6-2, Searle scored her first goal of the game with 1:18 left in the half off a Meinhard assist to make it 6-3 at the break.
 
Willamette opened the third quarter with a goal to push its lead to 7-3, but Searle answered at the 4:41 mark to bring the Pioneers within three. After another Bearcat goal, Swegle converted a free-position shot with 2:05 remaining to make it 8-5 heading into the final period.
 
The Bearcats pulled away in the fourth quarter, scoring five of the first six goals to build a 13-6 advantage. Swegle broke up the run with a goal at 6:41. The Pioneers mounted a late comeback attempt, with Gonzales converting a free-position shot at 3:42, followed by Swegle's fifth goal—another free-position score—at 3:10, cutting the deficit to 13-8.
 
Willamette closed the game with three unanswered goals in the final two minutes to seal the 16-8 win.
 
BY THE NUMBERS 

• Swegle has tied her hat-trick total from last season and now has 14 career hat-tricks.
• McRae tied her career high with five ground balls. She and Meinhard combined for 10 of the Pioneers' 24 ground balls, while Gonzales and sophomore Lauren Elliott each added three.
• Gonzales led the team with seven draw controls. Her two caused turnovers tied for the team lead with Elliott and first-year Kaedance Stubbs.

WHO'S NEXT
 
Lewis & Clark will host Pacific Lutheran University on April 12 for their first home Northwest Conference game in program history. Game time is set for 1 p.m. at Griswold Stadium.