HICKORY, N.C.  – The Queens University of Charlotte women's lacrosse team, currently ranked 17^th nationally, fell 12-11 on the road this afternoon at Lenoir-Rhyne University bringing their record to 2-7 on the year. The South Atlantic Conference loss is the first in program history for the Royals as they fall to 1-1 in league play. The Bears improve to 4-6 on the year and 4-0 in SAC play with today's win.
 
Hanna Scott led the Royals with four goals and one assist. She also tallied three ground balls and three caused turnovers. Allison Conn and Taylor Quade added two goals each while Ally Blood and Sydney Lear each recorded one goal and one assist. Rachel Perrett also scored in the game. Audrey Chesser matched Scott with three caused turnovers and three ground balls while Kyleigh Masteran totaled two ground balls and two caused turnovers. Wardle led in caused turnovers with four and Conn led in draw controls with six.
 
Trailing 5-2 with 17:41 to play, Queens would score three unanswered goals to knot the game at 5-5 with 13:05 on the clock in the first. The Bears responded to the Royals' run with a pair to move ahead, 7-5, just before Lear and Scott each found the back of the net to equalize the game at 7-7 heading into the break.
 
The Royals got going early in the second half scoring three straight to take a 10-7 lead with 21:48 to play. Lenoir-Rhyne's Cathleen Gaffney halted Queens' spurt with a goal at 18:27 to close the gap to two, but a Queens goal from Perrett followed at 8:59 to increase the margin back out to three, 11-8. The Bears then found the back of the net three consecutive times to tie the game at 11-11 with 3:48 to play.
 
Gabby Sousa of the Bears would score the game-winner with 56 seconds left in regulation. Lenoir-Rhyne's Rachel Elmore then collected the draw control allowing the Bears to run out the clock with the lead.
 
Queens outshot the Bears, 30-21, putting 19 shots on goal to the Bears' 16. Queens also totaled 18 ground balls to Lenoir-Rhyne's eight. The Bears won the battle at the draw, 16-9. Both Chase Brokaw and Sara Mitrecic spent time in goal to combine for four saves in the loss.
 
Sousa led the Bears with five goals while Elmore added four goals. Ines Flueck took the win in goal after recording eight saves.
 
Queens will return home to Dickson Field on Saturday, Mar. 24 to face Tusculum College at noon. The Royals defeated the Pioneers last season by a score of 22-8.