TAMPA, Fla.  –  The Queens University of Charlotte women's lacrosse team opened its season today at No. 19 Tampa falling 18-15 to the Spartans.
 
Newcomer Kara Blanchard led the Royals offensively with five goals while Ally Blood and Taylor Quade also notched five points apiece on one goal and four assists. Allison Conn and Rachel Perrett added two goals each. Additionally, Cammy Case led in draw controls with four and Sydney Hussey led in ground balls with five. Sara Mitrecic took the loss in goal recording five saves in 24:42. Chase Brokaw totaled five saves in 35:18.
 
Trailing 2-1 with 27:06 on the clock in the opening half, Queens put together a 5-0 run to lead 6-2 at 19:32. The Spartans then answered outscoring the Royals 5-2 in the final 15 minutes of the period to trail by just one, 8-7, at the break.
 
Tampa then carried their offensive momentum into the second half putting together a 6-2 run to take over control of the game. The Royals knotted things up at 13-13 after responding to the Spartans' run with three unanswered goals, but Tampa had an answer, once again, scoring three of their own to move back in front, 16-13, with 9:49 left in regulation. A pair of goals for Queens scored by Blanchard and Perrett cut the gap to one, 16-15, with 5:19 left to play, but that was as close as the Royals would get to regaining control of the lead as Tampa put two more points on the board before the final horn sounded.
 
Queens was outshot 37-31, putting 26 shots on goal to Tampa's 28. The Spartans also edged the Royals in ground balls, 26-24, and draw controls, 17-16.
 
Caroline Forester led the Spartans with five points on four goals and one assist. Maggie Gladden, Claire Swanson, and Carly Vaccaro added three goals each. Swanson also totaled 11 draw controls. Bridget Sutter collected the win in goal after recording 11 saves and five ground balls in 60 minutes of play.  
 
Queens will host Belmont Abbey College on Saturday, February 23. This will be the first meeting between the two programs since the 2016 season when the Royals picked up a 16-5 win. Play is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.