BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Women's Lacrosse team dropped their first game of the season to Wheaton College 12-8.  The Hawks drop to 1-1 on the season and the Lyons improve to 2-0.

Wheaton took the early lead with a free position shot from Charlotte DeSantis (Darien, Conn.) at 28:05 in the first half.  Hawks answered back at 27:01 when Jessica Searl (Glastonbury, Conn.) took a pass from Mackenzie Logan (Sussex, N.J.) and fired on net to even the contest at 1-1.   At 21:39 Wheaton's, Allie Bush (Kennebunk, Maine) found an open Kristen Palmer (East Dorset, Vt.) for the Lyons second score.  RWU scored the next three goals to tie and take the lead for the first time.  Searl scored on an assist from Samantha Davenport (Bethel, Conn.) and Danielle Neagle (Avon, Conn.) took an assist from Julie MacVane (Hampton Falls, N.H.).  Neagle found Davenport at 15:38 to put the contest at 4-2 for the Hawks.  

Not to be out done, the Lions put their own three goal run together when Jenna Tewksbury (Concord, Mass) finished a free position shot at 14:44.  At 11:27 DeSantis scored her second of the match on an unassisted score.  Leila Mills (Brunswick, Maine) took a pass from Tewksbury to score her first of the game at 8:10 that put the score back in the favor of the Lyons at 5-4. 

Kelsey Rahilly (East Longmeadow, Mass.) evened the contest at 5-5 scoring an unassisted goal with 5:38 left in the first period. The teams traded goals one more time before the half ended with DeSantis grabbing her third of the game for the Lyons and Kristen Pingree (Georgetown, Mass.) scored her first of the day for the Hawks.

The Hawks opened the second half with a quick score by Logan on an assist from Rahilly to give the Hawks their last lead in the contest.  The Lyons scored six unanswered goals with DeSantis and Palmer adding two more to their totals and Tewksbury and Mills each chipping in one more get their second goals for the day.  Searl added the final score for the Hawks and the match that set the score at 8-12 in favor of Wheaton.

Justine Sullivan (Norwell, Mass.) saved 12 shots in the loss for the Hawks and Katy Ananian (Belmont, Mass.) saved 6 shots in the win for the Lyons.

The Wheaton Lyons will be back in action on March 12, 2013 versus Stevens in Clermont, Fla. at 4:00 p.m.  The Hawks travel to Springfield, Mass. to take on Springfield College on March 10, 2013 at 1:00p.m.