LAKELAND, Fla. – The Saint Leo women's lacrosse team, ranked 23^rd in the nation, fell 19-13 in the Lions' season opener against seventh-ranked Florida Southern Wednesday night. Despite dropping the non-conference top-25 matchup with the Sunshine State Conference neighbors, Saint Leo saw freshman Maria Palomba break a program record during her collegiate debut in the circle. Palomba won 15 draw controls for the Green and Gold. Fellow freshman Emma Hayhurst also helped off the draw for promising future presence in the critical piece of the game.
 
Eliz Fino also had a stellar first game to her collegiate career. The freshman attacker paced the offense with six goals and an assist for seven points. Fiona McLaughlin dished out five goals to open her sophomore campaign.
 
Liz Clark put in the work between the pipes in all 60 minutes of action. The sophomore goalkeeper faced 19 shots and earned six stops.
 
On Friday, Feb 11, Saint Leo will host the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers in the Lions' home opener under the lights, starting at 7:00 p.m.
 
For the latest news, updates, and information on the Saint Leo women's lacrosse, be sure to visit SaintLeoLions.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.