SELINSGROVE, PA - Susquehanna's women's lacrosse home debut of the 2025 marked their first win of the season Saturday as a six-goal first half and a hat trick from Allie Kutler helped ensure a 10-8 victory. Though the Cougars trailed for much of the game and kept things close, led by four scores from Alicia Pileggi and three from Rachel Shook, the River Hawks tightened up on defense and shut down Misericordia on key possessions late in the game. Goalie Aerin O'Brien rose to the occasion as well with ten saves.

While MU got the first score of the day courtesy of Shook, the River Hawks found some rhythm with four straight scores as Kutler scored her first two goals in this strethc, joined also by goals from Emma Kelleher and Jessica Russo. Kelleher scored again in the second quarter during her two-goal day, while Kutler's third offered Susquehanna a 6-2 lead. The Cougars, however, put the River Hawks on notice by closing out the first half with a pair of scores from Pileggi and Shook to make it 6-4 at halftime. 

Both sides exchanged three goals in the third quarter, with Susquehanna thrice holding three-goal leads in the period. Liv Owen got her first goal of the season in a three-point day where she had two assists, while Abby Andrus had two for the period for her only scores of the day to help the River Hawks lead 9-6. Pileggi offered another threat for Misericordia before the third period horn sounded as Susquehanna led jut 9-7 going into the fourth. After Nicolette Genovese helped SU reclaim a three-goal lead to start the period on an assist from Keller, the Cougars continued to threaten, with Pileggi's fourth score bringing the lead back down to two at 10-8 with 9:54 to play. That was when the River Hawks' defense came to life, executing great matchups to force Misericordia into tough situations and last-second shot attempts before the possession clock horn sounded. O'Brien conjured up three of her saves in the final period, including some highlight ones that included denying scoring opportunities point-blank in a scoreless remainder of the game. 

Genovese added one assist on the day, while Sophie Cole and Russo each had one themselves. The River Hawks and Cougars finished dead even on shots 26-26, with SU holding a slim 19-18 advantage in shots on goal. They also were knotted up on draw controls 11-11, while both defenses deflected away every free-position shot their opposition could afford, including three missed chances from MU. Susquehanna cleared 18-of-21 chances, while Misericordia was 17-of-20. Owen and Sloane Coddington led SU with two caused turnovers apiece. 

The victory evens the River Hawks' record to 1-1 after squaring off at Dickinson on Wednesday to open the season. They are on the road for their next two contests, beginning at Messiah on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 4 p.m. and at McDaniel on Saturday, Mar. 1 at 12 noon. Susquehanna is back home again on Tuesday, Mar. 4 for a matinee 4 p.m. duel with Lebanon Valley.