MEADVILLE, Pa. -- The Gators opened up North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) play with a fast start, but were unable to secure the victory in an 18-10 defeat against Wooster at the Robertson Blue Turf.

The Allegheny women's lacrosse team slips to 1-2 on the year and 0-1 to open league play, while Wooster kicks off NCAC action at 1-0 and improves to 2-1 overall.

After the Scots netted the first tally of the game, around 1:00 into play, the Gators responded with the next four goals to open up a 4-1 lead by the 5:00 elapsed mark. Mary Allen (Victor, N.Y./Victor) posted the equalizer less than a minute later, before Devin Gaffney (Rochester, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy) put the hosts ahead 2-1 less than three minutes into play. Ashley Amato (Westerly, R.I./Westerly) pushed the margin to 4-1 with a pair of goals. During the stretch, Senna Perelman (Cleveland, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) dished out two assists.

Amato and Gaffney each scored two goals on the evening, as did Evi Malagise (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) and Brenna Lawler (Randolph, N.J./Randolph). Malagise also added a pair of assists to lead the Gators with four points.

Defensively, Allen and Raina Semenick (Smyrna, Del./Smyrna) paced the Blue & Gold with five ground balls and four caused turnovers apiece. Gretchen Barbera (Yarmouth, Maine/Yarmouth) and Emily Herrold (Hampstead, Md./Manchester Valley) each collected three draw controls.

Fiona Barrett (Danvers, Mass./Danvers) suffered the loss in goal, making seven saves in the first 37:18, while Sarah Thorman (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) also made seven saves in closing out the game.

The two teams will be back in action at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 10 in Wooster, Ohio.