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CINCINNATI - Goalie Meg Gulmi made 17 saves, but the University of Cincinnati lacrosse team couldn't get the offense going and dropped a 10-4 decision to UConn in the BIG EAST Conference opener on Sunday afternoon.
The Bearcats got 17 saves from Gulmi (Syosset, N.Y./Syosset) and caused 14 UConn turnovers, but managed just 14 shots while the offense continues to search for identity following the losses of Megan Bell (Parkton, Md./Hereford) and Elaina Enich (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany) to injury.
// KEY PLAYERS
Cincinnati (2-9, 0-1 BIG EAST)
Courtney Curtis (Mason, Ohio/Mason) - 2 goals | 3 ground balls | 2 caused turnovers
Sarah Del Bene (Timonium, Md./Dulaney) - 1 goal | 2 ground balls | 2 caused turnovers
Kyara Byner (Franklin, Tenn./Ensworth) - 4 ground balls | 3 caused turnovers
UConn (6-4, 1-0 BIG EAST)
Grace Nolan - 2 goals | 1 assist | 1 ground ball
Alyson Fazio - 2 goals | 3 ground balls | 2 caused tunovers
Carly Palmucci - 3 assists | 1 ground ball | 3 caused turnovers
// IN THE CAGE
Cincinnati
Meg Gulmi - 17 saves | 10 goals allowed | Loss
UConn
Shannon Nee - 6 saves | 3 goals allowed | Win
Marya Fratoni - 2 saves | 1 goal allowed
// KEY GOALS
28:15 1st - Alyson Fazio (UConn)
Fazio took a pass from Palmucci and got the Huskies on the board with the first score not quite two minutes into the game. It started a four-goal run by the visitors to open the contest.
15:14 - Dani Tunnell (UC)
Tunnell (Frederick, Md./Oakdale) scored Cincinnati's first goal of the game, unassisted, at the midway point of the half. She was followed by a free position goal from Curtis to cut the UConn lead to 4-2.
3:36 1st - Alyson Fazio (UConn)
Fazio scored the second of two-straight UConn goals to end the half, putting the Huskies back up four goals, 6-2, at the break.
29:40 2nd - Sarah Del Bene (UC)
Del Bene took a pass from Skylar DeLemos (Cranbury, N.J./West Windsor-Plainsboro) off the draw and took it right to the cage, drawing a foul. After Nee saved the initial free position shot, Del Bene forced the UConn goalie into a turnover then pushed a loose ball into the cage to cut the deficit to 6-3.
18:38 2nd - Grace Nolan (UConn)
Nolan scored her second goal of the game to cap a four-goal UConn run and put the game out of reach at 10-3.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats continue BIG EAST play with a trip to Villanova on Saturday, April 4. Opening draw in Philadelphia is set for 1 p.m.