BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C.— The Montreat College women's lacrosse team kicked off its 2026 regular season on Wednesday by hosting the Pfeiffer University Falcons, an NCAA Division III program, at Pulliam Stadium. PU scored the initial 11 goals in the matchup and never looked back, ultimately taking the clash with a 19-3 final score. As a result, the Cavaliers began the year with an 0-1 record, while the Falcons started the campaign at 1-0.
 
The first quarter opened with Pfeiffer securing an early advantage thanks to a goal just 64 seconds in. Marley Smith gained possession shortly after but was unable to convert, as her shot was saved by visiting goalie. Despite the Cavs' efforts, the Falcons extended their edge with an additional trio of goals by the midpoint of the initial frame, making it challenging for Montreat to gain momentum. The Cavaliers attempted to regroup and called a timeout with roughly six minutes left in the period, but PU continued to pressure with additional strikes, eventually ending the quarter with a 6-0 lead.
 
Montreat faced a challenging second quarter as the visitors extended their advantage with a series of quick goals. Pfeiffer opened the scoring merely 26 seconds into the quarter, and it expanded its lead to 11-0 by the 9:25 mark. The Cavs managed to break the ice midway through the frame when Grace Wiegand scored her first goal of the season. Despite six saves from Anastasia Rust and ground ball recoveries from Naomi Mitchell and Smith, the hosts struggled with turnovers and clear attempts. Pfeiffer entered the halftime break on top, 13-1.
 
Smith notched Montreat's lone third quarter tally with 7:55 to go in the period, marking her initial goal of the campaign. The Cavaliers played stout defense in the third, limiting the Falcons to just one score as well. Pfeiffer's second-half breakthrough came with under two minutes remaining, and the visitors wrapped up the frame with a 14-2 edge.
 
In the fourth quarter, Smith delivered her second strike of the night at the 6:48 mark. Despite her efforts, the Falcons' pressure proved to be unrelenting, with the away side sneaking five additional shots into the back of the net. Rust registered eight saves across the 15-minute stretch, lessening the potential damage. However, Pfeiffer's 19 goals were more than enough to get the job done, and the Falcons left Pulliam Stadium with a 19-3 victory.
 
Overall, the visitors owned advantages in shots (53-6), caused turnovers (13-7), successful clears (10-6), ground balls (37-15), draw controls (19-4) and free-position strikes (2-0). The Falcons also committed 10 fewer turnovers than their counterparts (24-14).
 
Rust made a significant impact in goal, stopping 22 shots for a .537 save percentage. Smith led the offense with two tallies, both of which were unassisted, on four shots. Wiegand added to the scoring effort with an unassisted goal of her own on two attempts.
 
"We're a young team with a lot of new faces, so right now, it's about putting the pieces together and continuing to grow each day," said head coach Kayla Bone. "I'm really proud of how our defense stepped up, and Anastasia had a killer game in goal that really anchored us. The ladies fought hard until the final whistle, and that's something you can't teach. Once we get our scoring dialed in, I'm confident we'll be on the right track."
 
The Montreat College women's lacrosse team remains home for its next action on Saturday, Feb. 14. Opening draw control between the North Carolina Wesleyan University Battling Bishops and the Cavs is set for 10 a.m. at Pulliam Stadium in Black Mountain, N.C.