WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Feb. 18) -- The Waynesburg University women's lacrosse team dropped the 2024 season opener to Eastern Mennonite University 13-7 on Sunday afternoon at John F. Wiley Stadium in a non-conference tilt.

The Yellow Jackets (0-1) got the scoring started as Waverly Lorne (New Providence, N.J. / Governor Livingston) put the home side up 1-0 at the 8:41 mark of the opening quarter with her first collegiate goal. The Royals (1-0) responded 1:16 later to tie the game. They added a second goal with 4:06 left in the quarter and led 2-1 after 15 minutes.

Ella Sheedy (Ligonier, Pa. / Ligonier Valley) notched her first Yellow Jackets goal at the 13:26 mark of the second quarter to knot the game at 2. Lorne added her second goal of the game 1:34 later to give the Orange and Black a 3-2 edge. 

A Royals man-up goal tied things at 3 but Lorne picked up a hat-trick with 7:50 left in the half to put Waynesburg back up 4-3. The visitors scored the next 3 goals and led 6-4 with 12:19 left in the third quarter.

Lorne added her fourth goal in her collegiate debut to make it a one-goal game at the 9:59 mark of period three but the Royals quickly responded 1:12 later to make it 7-5. Rylie Alexander (Mount Clemens, Mich. / L'Anse Creuse High School North) cut the deficit to one with her first career goal with 8:10 left in the third period.

Eastern Mennonite tallied the next five goals to build a comfortable 12-6 advantage. Sheedy scored her second goal of the game with 2:36 left in the game but it was too little to late for the Jackets. The Royals added a final goal with 39 seconds left to spell the 13-7 final score.

Lorne finished with a game-high seven caused turnovers and a team-best eight ground balls. Sheedy paced the Jackets in shots (10) and draw controls (four). Anna Bradley (Bridgeville, Pa. / South Fayette) finished with nine saves and two ground balls.