RADFORD, Va – The Radford women's lacrosse team fell 13-4 in their season-opening game Saturday at home against the East Carolina Pirates. Margaret Gleason and Reaghan Kolb led the Highlanders with two goals apiece.

For the Highlanders, it was a tale of two halves, or really of the first quarter then the last three. In the first quarter the Pirates jumped out quickly with three consecutive goals before Gleason notched an unassisted goal for the Highlanders. However, ECU followed the Gleason tally with six of their own before the end of the first quarter, taking a 9-1 lead into the second period of play.

From there, the Pirates would go on to only score four more goals in the game. Radford managed one more goal in the first half from the stick of Kolb, her first career goal.

After a 2-0 third quarter for ECU, Radford recorded the two final goals of the game with Gleason and Kolb both scoring early in the fourth quarter. The 2-0 margin for the Highlanders kept the score level in the second half and held the final margin at only nine despite the ECU onslaught in the first.

KEY STATS

• Olivia Hunter saved 16 shots in her first career start with a .552 save percentage.
• The pair of goals for Kolb represent the first two in totality for her career. The multi-goal game for Gleason was the fourth such game of her career.
• Four goals is the fewest ever scored by Radford in a season opener, however, 13 goals allowed is tied for the lowest.

QUOTABLE
"It was the first game with a new group and a new system, and there are challenges that come with that," said Head Coach Samantha Hurley. "We're learning and growing and now have a week to get ready to go for our next game [at Old Dominion]."

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Highlanders will hit the road for the first time in 2022 for a tilt with Old Dominion on Saturday, Feb. 19 at noon.

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