BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C.— The Montreat women's lacrosse team played its first home contest of the 2024 season Thursday afternoon as the Cavaliers hosted the Webber International University Warriors in a non-conference competition. Ultimately, the Warriors, who are receiving votes in the NAIA Women's Lacrosse Coaches' Top 10 Poll, held on for a 15-14 win, moving the Cavs to 0-3 on the year.
 
Webber (1-0) notched the first two goals of the contest, and three of the initial four, but Kate Gauntlett netted a pair midway through the opening frame to pull the Cavs within one (3-2). The visitors claimed the ensuing two; however, Grace Wiegand tallied her second goal of the year to make it 5-3 after one period.
 
In the second, the Cavaliers charged offensively, outscoring the Warriors thanks to four straight goals. After WIU went up 6-3 early in the frame, Madison Terrell closed the gap to 6-4 before Gauntlett completed her hat trick. Wiegand then added two more scores to register her first-half hat trick and give Montreat a 7-6 advantage with 6:36 remaining until halftime. Webber used two quick strikes to lead 8-7 at the intermission.
 
By halftime, WIU edged the Cavaliers in shots (23-16), shots on target (13-10), draw controls (9-8) and successful clears (7-5). Ruthann Stout made five stops in net for Montreat.
 
The teams traded blows in the second half, with the Cavs responding following each tally from the visitors. WIU scored early in the third, but the home side answered from the stick of Terrell. Webber then led 10-8, but Gauntlett recorded her 11^th goal of the season to bring the Cavaliers back within one.
 
Though the Warriors notched back-to-back goals to go up 12-9 with 13:06 left in the matchup, Montreat utilized a score from Terrell, two more from Gauntlett and one from Hannah Jarboe to make it 14-13 WIU halfway into the final frame. After Webber's 15^th goal, Gauntlett netted her seventh goal of the game with 2:39 remaining; however, the visitors used possession and forced key turnovers to ice their 1-goal triumph.
 
Gauntlett registered half of the team's 14 strikes, while contributing with a pair of assists. Terrell and Wiegand concluded with their hat tricks, and Terrell and Jarboe picked up helpers. Stout finished with 11 saves for the Cavaliers to go with a game-best seven ground balls. Gauntlett led the team with seven draw controls, and Jarboe captained the team with three caused turnovers.
 
In the end, WIU outshot Montreat 39-25, 26-19 on goal. The Warriors also held slight edges in free-position goals (4-3), clears (14-11) and caused turnovers (17-10), while the Cavs won 17 of the 33 draw controls.
 
Women's lacrosse now heads back on the road in two weeks when the Cavaliers go to Mars Hill University on Feb. 28. Opening draw control is scheduled for 7 p.m.