LAFA.YETTE HILL, Pa. (02/22/2020) – Chestnut Hill College women's lacrosse opened its season with a back-and-forth contest against Shepherd University, but could not pull off a win at Victory Field No. 1, dropping the 11-9 result.

Senior attackers and captains Spencer Fitzgerald (Huntingtown, Md.) and Dai Pearson (Pottstown, Pa.) were lethal from the free-position shot, combining for five goals in the setup. The turning point, however, was a 6-0 run midway through the second half from the Rams (1-0) to take control of the contest.

The first half was a tug-of-war between the two teams, heading into the break tied 3-3. Pearson led the way with two goals, both from free-position shots.

The Griffins looked to have gained control over the contest early in the second half, scoring three unanswered goals in a six-minute span to earn a 6-3 lead. But Shepherd University had an answer, holding the Griffins scoreless across the next 14 minutes and scoring six straight goals from five different players.

Freshman midfielder Danielle Vassallo (Hicksville, N.Y.) scored her first career goal and Fitzgerald tacked on two more in the waning minutes, but the Scarlet and Gold could not manage to pull even in the final stretch.

Fitzgerald made a huge impact on offense and defense, leading all players in goals (four) and caused turnovers (four). She was three-of-four on free-position shots, helping the Griffins finish with a 46 percent conversion rate. She also managed to put all five of her shots on frame and picked up two ground balls in the effort.

The Rams outshot Chestnut Hill College 32-25, but freshman goalie Mel Amador (Cape May, N.J.) was up to the task in her debut. She made 18 saves – twice as many as the Rams recorded -- and tallied seven ground balls.

The Griffins continue their 2020 slate with a two-game road stretch, beginning at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 25 against New York Tech.