CLEVELAND, Ga. – The Emory & Henry College Women's Lacrosse Team (0-1) battled until the end, but came up short against Truett-McConnell University (0-1) in what was the first match in program history for the Wasps. The Bears defeated E&H by a 16-12 final score.

The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Truett McConnell 16, Emory & Henry 12
LOCATION – Cleveland, Georgia
VENUE – TMU Lacrosse Complex
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (0-1, 0-0 SAC); Truett McConnell(1-0, 0-0 AAC)

How It Happened
- The Bears took an early 2-0 lead with 9:10 remaining in the first quarter. Sophomore midfielder Justyce Jones (Jacksonville, N.C.) wrote her name in the E&H history books at the 8:51 mark as she tallied the first goal in program history to trim the deficit to just one. Freshman midfielder Bethany Beecher (Roanoke, Va.) found the back of the net with 4:05 remaining in the opening stanza to draw the Wasps level at 2-2 where it would stay throughout the remainder of the quarter.
- The two teams traded goals through the early stages with freshmen attackers Avery McHargue (Weaverville, N.C.) and Brooklyn Halter (Alcoa, Tenn.) putting their names on the score sheet with a goal each. McHargue would add one more on a free position shot to make it all square at 5-5 before the Bears finished the half on a 4-0 run to take the 9-5 advantage into the halftime break.
- Jones opened up the second half with three consecutive goals in the first six minutes, two assisted by Beecher, to draw the Wasps within just one. Freshman midfielder Cadence Spaulding (Christiansburg, Va.) scored her first collegiate goal with 4:54 to play in the frame, but TMU tallied the final two goals of the period to take a 12-9 lead into the fourth quarter.
- Jones and Beecher once again opened up the final quarter with back-to-back scores to claw back to within just one but the Bears answered with four straight to open its lead back out to 16-11. McHargue added a goal late in the period to complete her hat trick, but the Wasps ran out of time as TMU took the season-opening win by the 16-12 final. 

Emory & Henry Individual Leaders
- Jones paced the attack for the Wasps with five goals, 12 ground balls, 12 draw controls won and three caused turnovers. McHargue finished with three goals, one assist, four ground balls and a caused turnover.
- Beecher posted a pair of goals, two helpers, three ground balls and a pair of turnovers forced. Spaulding and Halter each posted a goal and an assist for the Wasps.
- Junior goalkeeper Kaitlyn Evans (Gambrills, Md.) made one save in goal for E&H.

Truett-McConnell Individual Leaders
- Katie Smith led the Bears with six goals and a pair of assists to go along with four ground balls. Kaitlyn Morgenroth and Shelby Nail each had four goals and an assist while Marlo McBrayer added a pair of goals.
- Sally Marcum made five stops in between the sticks for TMU. 

Up Next
- Emory & Henry returns home on Friday, February 9 for the first home match in program history. The Wasps will host Royals of Warner University at Fred Selfe Stadium with the first draw scheduled for 2:00 p.m..

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