GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The McKendree University women's lacrosse team continued its four-game road trip to the Rocky Mountain State here Wednesday as the Bearcats fell 16-5 to Colorado Mesa in a non-conference game at Community Hospital Unity Field.
 
With the setback, the Bearcats fell to 1-2 on its road trip and 3-5 overall on the season, while Colorado Mesa improves to 3-0 on the season.
 
The Bearcats were outshot, 34-15, but sophomore goalkeeper Gretchen Kuhn (Kirkwood, Mo./Kirkwood) recorded a career-high nine saves in her first start between the pipes.
 
McKendree's five goals were scored by just two players in the game as junior midfielder Sydney Tiemann (Eureka, Mo./Eureka) scored three goals on eight shots, while junior attacker Kat Albrecht (Louisville, Ky./Eastern) had two goals on three shots. Albrecht (34) and Tiemann (25) have combined for 59 of McKendree's 96 goals this season.
 
The Mavs jumped in front 5-0 in the first quarter and never trailed as they led 8-1 at the half as Tiemann scored the first goal for the Bearcats with 7:57 left in the second quarter. Tiemann's goal made the score 6-1 in favor of Colorado Mesa.
 
Colorado Mesa would add four more goals in the third quarter to take a 12-1 lead.
 
The two teams would each score four goals in the fourth quarter as Albrecht and Tiemann got the scoring started in the fourth quarter as they found the goal in the opening three-plus minutes of the quarter.
 
After Ashton Whittle scored her second goal of the game to give the Mavs a 13-3 lead, Tiemann and Albrecht followed with back-to-back unassisted goals to drop Mesa's lead to 13-5 with 6:09 left in the game.
 
The Mavs would close out the game by scoring the final three goals to set the final margin.
 
Colorado Mesa held a 15-10 edge in draw controls and a 19-13 edge in ground balls. Tiemann had six draw controls for the Bearcats and sophomore defender Olivia Julian (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard) and junior defender Molly Muennich (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart Academy) each had three ground balls on the day.
 
Kiley Davis led the way in scoring for the Mavs with five goals, while Whittle, Regan Wentz, Elizabeth Renken and Taylor Jakeman each had two goals in the win.
 
McKendree also committed 19 turnovers in the loss and Mesa had 15 turnovers. The Bearcats also committed 28 fouls to 20 for the Mavs.
 
Shannon Murphy earned the win in the goal for the Mavs as she allowed one goal and made four saves in 45 minutes of action, while Lula Mitchell played the fourth quarter and allowed four goals and made one save.

The Bearcats will conclude its trip to the Rocky Mountain State with a 4 p.m. MT game in Pueblo, Colo., against Colorado State University Pueblo (0-4 record on the season).