INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – McKendree University women's lacrosse would outscore 25th-ranked Davenport 20-15 over the final three periods here Sunday afternoon, but that couldn't make up for a 10-1 deficit in the first period en route to suffering a 25-21 loss to the Panthers in non-conference action at Key Stadium on the University of Indianapolis campus.
 
With the loss, McKendree falls to 0-2 on the season, while Davenport opens the 2022 season 2-0 for the first time since 2014-15. In addition, the win marked the first for Davenport against McKendree in four tries in the all-time series.
 
Junior attackers Kat Albrecht (Louisville, Ky./Eastern) and Sydney Tiemann (Eureka, Mo./Eureka) each scored seven goals for the Bearcats, while freshman midfielder Shauna Curran (Bolton, Mass./Nashoba Regional) added three goals on three shots and junior midfielder Aly Curran (Bolton, Mass./Southern New Hampshire) tallied two goals and two shots.
 
Despite suffering the loss, the Bearcats did hold a 41-33 lead in shots, including a 23-16 edge in shots in the first half. McKendree also had fewer turnovers than Davenport, 13-8, but the Panthers held a 31-18 edge in draw controls, including an 18-7 edge in the second half.
 
Tiemann and Albrecht combined for 29 shots as Tiemann tok 17 and Albrecht took 12 in the game.
 
Davenport jumped in front 6-0 before the Bearcats would find the goal on a free position shot by Shauna Curran with 6:14 left in the opening period. The Panthers, though, would close the period by scoring four straight goals, including Ayanna Turrubiates recording four of her school-high tying 10 goals in the game.
 
The Bearcats would rally in the second period as they scored nine times to cut Davenport's lead to 13-10 at the half.
 
In the second period, Shauna Curran got the scoring started on an unassisted goal just 74 seconds into the period. After Maddy Haynes scored for DU, the Bearcats would score four straight goals, including Albrecht scoring the final two goals of the run to bring McKendree within 11-6.
 
DU would add two more goals to push in front 13-6 with 5:47 left in the period, before McKendree would close the period with four straight goals, including three of them by Tiemann.
 
The Panthers would open the third period with a four goal flurry to push its lead to 17-10 just three minutes into the period. Albrecht, graduate student Oriana Johnson (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) and Tiemann would score goals to pull the Bearcats within 17-13 with 7:21 left in the period.
 
DU, though, would close the period by scoring four of the final five goals to extend its lead to 21-14 heading into the fourth period. The Bearcats lone goal during the run came from Albrecht on an unassisted goal with 4:03 left.
 
The Bearcats would make things interesting in the fourth period as the Bearcats opened the period scoring five of the first seven goals to drop Davenport's lead to 23-19 following a goal by Aly Curran off an assist by Albrecht with 4:29 left in the game. Tiemann and Albrecht combined for four of the five goals.
 
Anna Glynn would give DU a 24-19 lead following her goal off a pass from Aaliyah Miller with 3:39 left in the game. Albrecht and freshman attacker Mya Cobb (Newbergh, Ind./Castle) would score the next two goals for the Bearcats to pull within 24-21 with 1:08 remaining. Albrecht's goal was unassisted, while Johnson assisted on Cobb's goal.
 
Turrubiates would complete the scoring with her 10th goal of the game with 27 seconds left in the game.
 
In addition to Turrubiates school-record tying 10 goals, Glynn added seven goals and Miller had three goals in the win. Glynn had 17 draw controls for the Panthers.
 
Tiemann and sophomore defender/midfielder Olivia Julian (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chartard) tailed 13 and four draw controls respectively for the Bearcats.
 
Junior goalkeeper Clara Andrews (St. Louis, Mo./Nerinx Hall) allowed 23 goals and made five saves for the Bearcats, while sophomore Gretchen Kuhn (Kirkwood, Mo./Kirkwood) allowed two goals. Maisy Latus earned the win in goal for Davenport as she allowed 10 goals and made seven saves, while Grace DeRidder allowed 11 goals and four saves.
 
The Bearcats will return to action on Sunday, March 6 with an 11 a.m. game at Leemon Field against 14th-ranked Grand Valley State. The Lakers will be the third straight nationally-ranked teams the Bearcats will face to open the 2022 campaign.