PITTSFORD, NY – Six different Yellowjackets scored a goal, but an early three-goal deficit was too much for the University of Rochester women's lacrosse to overcome on Wednesday afternoon against the St. John Fisher University Cardinals.
 
The Cardinals would go up early on the Yellowjackets, scoring three straight to open the match before UR could get on the scoreboard. Unassisted goals by Hanna Kumpf and Sydney Carpenter gave St. John Fisher an early 2-0 lead just under seven minutes into the opening period, before Kumpf added another off Cara Landry's assist just past the five-minute mark to extend Fisher's lead to 3-0.
 
Alyssa Gorny would get UR on the scoreboard with exactly four minutes to play in the first, scoring her third goal of the year, but the Cardinals would add another just under a minute and a half before the first-quarter buzzer, as Farrah Zalla scored off a free-position attempt to give Fisher a three-goal lead after one.
 
After a couple of early shots went wide for Rochester, the Cardinals again got the scoring started in the second quarter, extending their lead to 5-1 on Mary Fiorentino's goal off another Landry assist. But this time the Yellowjackets had an answer, as Lorelei King cut the deficit back to three off Lucy Haggerty's assist with her goal with 8:25 till the half.
 
Fisher would add another just over a minute later on Landry's free position shot, but after a pair of turnovers by both sides, Brooke Fiannaca pulled the 'Jackets within three with her goal from Gracie Giannettino with 3:10 to play until the half, cutting St. John Fisher's lead to 6-3.
 
Rochester's defense would come out strong to start the second half, holding the Cardinals scoreless for nearly 13 minutes, forcing nine turnovers and one save from Ava Saffren. But UR couldn't find the back of the net either, as Lilly Goodsell made three saves on the other end, and with 2:28 to play in the third, the Cardinals broke through with the lone goal of the quarter, extending their lead to 7-3.
 
Fisher then quickly made it 9-3 with two quick goals to start the fourth, putting the 'Jackets down six with 12:26 to play. But UR battled back, earning a free-position attempt that Emma Little converted just over a minute later to pull back within five.
 
And after another Saffren save, one of six on the afternoon for the junior, Giannettino converted another free-position shot, this time with 9:49 remaining, to make it a 9-4 Fisher lead and force the Cardinals to take a timeout.
 
Out of the timeout, Rochester won the draw control, but a turnover caused by Mykenzie Black gave Fisher the ball, and the Cardinals quickly converted it into another score, extending their lead back to five on Kumpf's fourth-quarter score.
 
UR would score two goals in quick succession as Haggerty and Little found each other for a pair of goals, Haggerty's coming in the 55th minute, and Little's coming less than a minute later off, and hold Fisher without a goal the rest of the way, but the early, three-goal deficit proved to be too much, and St. John Fisher pulled out the 10-7 victory.
 
Rochester falls to 1-1 with the loss, while St. John Fisher moves to 1-0 on the year.
 
Little led UR with a pair of goals, adding an assist, while Haggerty notched a goal and added two assists. Six different Yellowjackets found the back of the net, while a trio of tallied assists.
 
Gorny, Little and Fiannaca each led Rochester with four shots, while Grace Crochiere tallied a team-high seven draw controls.
 
Defensively, Crochiere and Saffren each picked up three ground balls, while Abbey Smith caused a team-high two turnovers. In goal for the 'Jackets, Saffren played all 60 minutes, making six saves.
 
As a team, UR was outshot by the Cardinals, 28-18, but just 16-11 in terms of shots on goal.
 
Rochester next hits the road to Baltimore for a non-conference matchup on Saturday, March 4 against Stevenson University in Stevenson, MD at 1:00 p.m.