PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – The University of Rochester women's lacrosse team won its second match in three days to start the 2026 season, toppling 11th-ranked St. John Fisher by a 10-6 score at Edwin Fauver Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
 
URochester improves to 2-0 on the young season, and earns just its third win over a ranked opponent dating back to 2003. The last win also came over a ranked Cardinals squad, with UR winning 10-9 over then #15 St. John Fisher during the home opener two seasons ago. Rochester's other ranked win came back in 2003 versus #12 Ithaca.
 
A cold, dreary, and drizzling rain seemingly caused havoc with some of the control of the ball throughout the contest, with the two teams combining for 55 turnovers, 28 for Fisher and 27 for URochester.
 
All of the match statistics were fairly even across the 60 minutes, with the Cardinals (0-1) hold a slight edge in shots 23-19 and ground balls 27-22. Both teams secured ten draw controls.
 
URochester keeper Isla Ablin was terrific between the pipes, making nine saves, several coming in key situations in the game. St. John Fisher goalie Maggie Cross ended with five saves.
 
The Yellowjackets got on the board first with a goal from senior Alyssa Gorny four and a half minutes in. Gorny's score was from the free position, and ended up being the only free position shot for the Yellowjackets all game.
 
St. John Fisher was able to level the score at 1-1 two minutes later when Kaley Griffin found the twine off a pass from Dharma Makarowsky, with the Cardinals benefitting from a player advantage.
 
Griffin scored 90 seconds later, this time with Fisher playing down a player, pushing the Cardinals in front. The lead was short lived though, as Gorny tallied her second of the quarter after teammate Rose Bunting secured the ensuing draw control.
 
Late in the quarter, Ablin denied Makarowsky on a free position chance, keeping the score tied after the opening 15 minutes.
 
In the second, a Griffin draw control secured possession for Fisher, leading to an early goal from Makarowsky, seeing the Cardinals edge in front by a goal.
 
Three minutes into the quarter, Bunting tallied her fifth goal of the young season to knot the game back up, starting off a three-goal run for the Yellowjackets.
 
Two minutes later, Allison Weiden got in on the party, finding the net following a pass from May Parzych, and shortly after, Jenna Kessler scored unassisted to make it 5-3 Yellowjackets.
 
With less than a minute left before halftime, a foul gave St. John Fisher a free position chance, one which Leah Hilton converted, making the score 5-4 in favor of URochester at intermission.
 
During the third period, neither team scored for the opening four minutes, with Anna Rogers extending the lead for the Yellowjackets in the 45th minute off a long cross pass from Bunting.
 
After two minutes, the roles were reversed, with Rogers feeding Bunting for another goal, making the score 7-4 in favor of the home squad.
 
A player-up goal from Ally Stank with under 90 seconds left in the period kept St. John Fisher within striking distance, heading to the final quarter.
 
Sam Kinch, Rogers and Kessler were the fourth quarter goal scorers for UR, with Gorny, Butning and Rogers adding assists, making it a 5-goal game with under six minutes left on the clock.
 
During that final six minutes, the Yellowjacket defense combined to allow just one shot, that being a goal by Makarowsky, holding on for the big early-season non-conference victory.
 
Both Bunting and Rogers finished with a game-high four points for the Yellowjackets. Each had two goals and two assists. Gorny finished with two goals and an assist for three points, while Kessler added two goals.
 
Bunting was also UR's leader in draws, securing three, while Lorelei King, Gorny and Sara Mendelson each had two. Jenna Ufberg paced in the ground ball category with four, while both Morgan Napolitano and Kessler caused two turnovers.
 
Makarowsky and Griffin each scored twice for the Cardinals who ended last season with a 19-1 record and reached the third round (Sweet 16) of the NCAA Division III Tournament.
 
URochester's next game is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, with the Yellowjackets hosting SUNY Brockport at 4 pm at Fauver Stadium.