MONTEVALLO, Ala. – Montevallo women's lacrosse fell to No. 15 Embry-Riddle, 20-4, in the opening game of the season on Saturday, February 3.
 
The Falcons struggled in the opening quarter with the Eagles taking an 11-0 lead after the first 15 minutes.
 
Montevallo's defense stiffened in the second quarter after allowing three unanswered goals in the first five minutes with a Mackenzie Griffin save on an EARU free position. The junior goalkeeper added a second save just two minutes later. Freshman Ellery Shearer forced an Embry-Riddle turnover with 3:04 before the half. With 1:28 on the clock, Shearer ended the Falcons scoreless half with a free position goal for her first career goal in a Falcon uniform.
 
Out of the half, the Falcons scored the first two goals of the half with Kiley Shea finding the mark just 1:15 into the third quarter. Montevallo took the following draw control and found Claire Withington for an unassisted goal with 12:50 to play in the quarter. The Eagles scored a pair of unanswered goals before Griffin added her third save of the day before adding a fourth with 1:46 to play. The third quarter ended with another ERAU goal in the closing seconds.
 
The Falcons came out on the attack in the fourth quarter with four shots before the Eagles found the back of the net at the 7:40 mark. A third Embry-Riddle free position goal came with 3:24 on the clock before Shearer scored her second goal of the game on a man-up opportunity with a beautiful move to lose her defender. Embry-Riddle added one final goal with no time remaining to hand Montevallo a 20-4 loss in the season opener.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Montevallo 4 | Embry-Riddle 20
Records: Montevallo 0-1 | Embry-Riddle 1-0
Location: Track and Field/Lacrosse Stadium | Montevallo, Ala.
 
GAME NOTES

• Montevallo was outshot 27-2 in the first half before finding its footing in the second half with a much more competitive 10-8 advantage to Embry-Riddle.
• Montevallo's keepers recorded 10 saves to the Eagles two.
• Both sides cleared the ball effectively with Montevallo going 9-for-15 while Embry-Riddle went 13-of-15.
• In her first appearance in a Falcon uniform, Ellery Shearer led the Falcons with a pair of goals on three shots on goal to go along with an assist for a total of three points.

 
UP NEXT: Montevallo hosts North Greenville on Friday, Feb. 9 at 4 p.m.