Lacrosse Falls to Cincinnati in Season Opener

Friday, February 6

Cincinnati, Ohio

5:30 p.m.

Xavier University

0-1

Cincinnati

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Cincinnati

Xavier

Lacrosse Falls to Cincinnati in Season Opener

02.06.26 | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

Sophomore Maya Graham scored her first career hat trick.

By: Abbey Curtis, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - The Xavier lacrosse team opened the 2026 season with a 17-9 loss to Cincinnati on Friday night.

Two Bearcats combined for 10 goals to take down the Musketeers at Sheakley Indoor Practice Facility.

Five different Musketeers scored in the loss while Maya Graham led the way with three goals to earn her first career hat trick.

XU returns to the field on Feb. 14 at Eastern Michigan.

how it happened

The Bearcats got off to a quick start with three straight goals in the first of four minutes of the opening quarter.

Maya Graham opened the scoring for the Musketeers on a free position goal at the eight minute mark.

UC went on to score three more goals in the third to take a 6-1 lead after the first quarter.

Cincinnati kicked off the second quarter with another three unanswered goals until Graham scored her second of the night with under two minutes left in the half.

UC scored one more at the one minute mark to take a 10-2 lead into the half.

Xavier bounced back in the third with back-to-back goals from Megan Droney and Lily Hayes.

Cincinnati scored their 11th goal of the night, but Graham tallied her third goal less than two minutes later to help Xavier outscore the Bearcats 3-1 in the third quarter.

Claire Slade found the back of the net early in the fourth quarter to cut the Musketeers' deficit to 11-6.

The Bearcats went on to score twice in one minute before Slade scored her second of the night on a man-up opportunity assisted by Droney.

UC scored three straight again to extend their lead to a game-high nine goals before Brynley Hodge assisted Lily Villaflor on another man-up opportunity.

Lily Hayes picked up a ground ball in front of the net after Samantha Balara's shot was deflected and scored her second goal of the night.

Cincinnati scored an insurance goal with two minutes to seal a 17-9 season-opening win.

notables

Maya Graham recorded her first career hat trick, totaling three goals and an assist.
Claire Slade scored two goals on two shots and added an assist, finding the back of the net for the first time since her freshman season in 2023.
Lily Hayes also added two goals with two ground balls and a team-high two draw controls.
Jada Brandon spent all 60 minutes in the cage and recorded 12 saves for a .414 save percentage
Megan Droney contributed two assists and a goal as the Musketeers' leading returning scorer.
The Musketeers combined for a .645 shot on goal percentage
Gigi Hathaway, Addi Joerres, Mackenzie Metzger and Paige Schneider all made their first collegiate appearances in the game.

up next

The Musketeers head to Eastern Michigan for their first road test of the season on Saturday, Feb. 14. First draw is set for 2 p.m. in Ypsilanti, Mich.