LOUDONVILLE, NY — Siena fell to Villanova 11-5 in a non-conference women's lacrosse game at Hickey Field on Wednesday.

Draw control dominance in the opening quarter (8-1 draw controls in favor of Wildcats) helped Villanova gain a 7-1 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

The Saints (5-1) cut the deficit to 8-4 early in the third quarter, but that's as close as Siena would come for the remainder of the game.

Villanova improved to 4-2 on the season.

The game began with Cassidy Bonura securing the draw control for Siena, but a quick turnover allowed Villanova to gain possession. Villanova's Madison Freeman opened the scoring with a goal at 12:21, assisted by Sophia Corretjer. The Wildcats' offense continued to pressure, with Elena Torres and Mary Moore scoring consecutive free-position goals, extending their lead. Siena responded with a goal from Sara Curley, assisted by Olivia Nicholson, narrowing the gap to 3-1. However, Villanova maintained control, with Rose Christie, Corretjer, Jillian Vaught, and Moore each scoring before the end of the quarter, leading 7-1 at the break.

In the second quarter, Siena's Jenna Pollicino scored with 8:53 remaining, assisted by Nicholson, to narrow Villanova's lead. The Wildcats responded at 5:28 with a goal by Bella Piselli, assisted by Jillian Vaught. The Saints capitalized on a woman-up opportunity, with Avery Connolly scoring a free position goal at 2:55. Defensive efforts by McAllister Salter, including two key saves, helped limit Villanova's offensive efforts. The quarter ended with Siena trailing Villanova 8-3.

The third quarter saw Siena open the scoring with a goal by Cassidy Morrow at 14:45, assisted by Mia Popovich. Villanova responded with a goal by Madison Freeman at 10:42, assisted by Torres. The Wildcats continued their offensive push with Vaught scoring at 6:25, again assisted by Torres, extending their lead. Despite the Saints' efforts, including a shot by Nicholson that hit the post, Villanova maintained its advantage, ending the quarter with a 10-4 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Villanova extended its lead with a free position goal by Moore at 12:41. The Saints responded with a goal from Nicholson, assisted by Curley, at 2:39, bringing the score closer. Both teams exhibited strong defensive plays, with Salter making several key saves for Siena and Villanova's Makenzie Fisher countering with critical stops. Despite multiple shot attempts from both sides, the quarter ended with each team scoring once, concluding with a final score of 11-5 in favor of Villanova.

Next up, Siena will travel to Syracuse to play at Le Moyne (4-1) this Saturday at 3 p.m.  on Ted Grant Field.