ERIE, Pa. – After getting off to a slow first half start, the Cardinals women's lacrosse team fell to Gannon University, 12-7, on Wednesday.

The Cardinals trailed 8-1 after the first 30 minutes of play. Elizabeth Hales scored the first goal of the game to give WJU its only lead, 1-0. She managed to find the back of the net just 40 seconds into the action.

WJU (4-1) struck first in the second period too, as three different Cardinals struck for a goal apiece. WJU trailed, 8-4, with 25:05 on the clock. Hales scored the first of the half before Jessie Tufnell and Markie Wright each tallied a goal.

Gannon (2-2) hit for the next two scores, and led the Cardinals 10-4. Hales was assisted by Tufnell and scored her third goal of the evening at 19:01 to cut the Golden Knight lead to five, 10-5. Hales added her fourth and final score of the night with 12:34 remaining.

Tufnell scored the final Cardinal goal with 1:22 on the clock, and WJU trailed 11-7. Gannon would add an insurance goal, and went on to defeat WJU, 12-7.

Hales, who leads WJU with 20 goals scored on the season, paced the WJU offense with four scores and an assist. Tufnell complied two scores and one helper while Wright completed the Cardinals scoring.

Taelor Mailloux assisted on one score and scooped up for groundballs. Holly Deckert also secured four groundballs and caused three turnovers. Tufnell, Lyndsay Carpenter, and Taylor Quigg each finished with three groundballs. Carpenter also caused three turnovers.

Paige Plesich picked up two groundballs, while four Cardinals added one each.

WJU begins its home season with a 5:00 p.m. contest against Tiffin University on Friday, March 11.