GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Westminster women's lacrosse team opened the 2015 season on Saturday by falling to Colorado Mesa, 12-8, at Walker Field.
 
Westminster (0-1) opened the game's scoring when Katie Adams tallied her first career goal less than four minutes into the action. After Colorado Mesa (1-0) scored the next five goals – two from Ashley Eickhoff – the Griffins opened a three-goal spurt with a strike by Maddie Haynes.
 
The Mavericks closed the first half with three-straight goals and they led 8-4 at the break. Haynes added her second goal of the game with 21:54 to play and then Adams and Morgan Bakarich put a shot in the net to cut the deficit to 8-7 with 19:44 remaining.
 
CMU then took control of the scoreboard as Eickhoff scored twice during a 10-minute span as her team scored four-straight goals to lead 12-7 with 6:25 to play. Haynes would close the scoring with her third goal of the game – her seventh-career hat trick – at 2:56 on the clock.
 
The Griffins finished the game with 16 shots and they picked up nine ground balls. Haynes led the team with six shots and Maggie HerrNeckar claimed a team-high four draw controls. Makenzie Hekking made six saves in cage.
 
Westminster is now off Feb. 27-28 when they travel to Indiana, Pa. for games against West Virginia Wesleyan and Indiana (Pa.).