Harrogate, TN - It was opening day for the 2024 Lincoln Memorial women's lacrosse season as the Lady Splitters played host to the visiting University of Alabama-Huntsville Lady Chargers on Saturday. It was the first time Alabama-Huntsville visited Harrogate for women's lacrosse.

It didn't take long for UAH to find the net as Noelle Coleman scored the game's first goal with just 40-seconds off the clock, giving the Lady Chargers a quick 1-0 lead. As quickly as UAH had scored, LMU responded. 38-seconds later, Chandler Bell scored Lincoln Memorial's first goal of the season, knotting the game at 1-1. Just two minutes later, the Lady Splitters took control of the game for the first time as Bell found a cutting Breanna Booth for a goal, giving Lincoln Memorial its first lead of the game, 2-1. Alabama-Huntsville began to pour on the goals, scoring four unanswered over the course of the next nine minutes of game time. Shannon Finch added a goal for the Lady Chargers at the 10:09 mark, followed by a goal from Megan Robinson on the assist from Isadora Springer less than a minute later, allowing the Lady Chargers to regain the lead 3-2. With a third of the first quarter remaining, Kourtney Barouth netted UAH's fourth goal of the game. Four minutes later, Sarah Cole added the Lady Chargers', and the game's, last goal of the first quarter with 1:08 left on the clock, seeing Alabama-Huntsville take a 5-2 lead into the second quarter.

Much like the start of the game, the second quarter began quickly, this time with the Lady Splitters striking first. Camdyn Bullard netted her first goal of the season with an assist from Bell to cut the Lady Chargers' lead to 5-3. Coleman scored her second goal of the game in response, giving Alabama-Hunstville a 6-3 lead. 10-seconds later, Josie Tinnerello took the draw all the way to the frame, scoring for LMU, bringing the score to 6-4. Coleman would score the game's next two goals, allowing UAH to extend its lead to 8-4. Haleigh Barnett added a final goal for the Lady Splitters to close the half with Lincoln Memorial trailing 8-5.

The Lady Splitters came out fast to start the second half, however, four unanswered goals from the Lady Chargers would later prove to be a major factor in the game. Mary Kostus found the net with the assist from Tinnerello, putting all the pressure on Alabama-Huntsville, cutting the score to 8-6. Alabama-Huntsville responded with four unanswered goals from Chloe Johnson, assisted by Robertson, Finch (2), and Barouth. Tinnerello added a goal, assisted by Bell, to slow the bleeding, but the Lady Chargers delivered another gut-punch to finish the third quarter with goals from Barouth and Finch.

Trailing 14-7 and refusing to lay over, Lincoln Memorial began to push back in the fourth quarter, outscoring Alabama-Huntsville 5-3 in the period with goals from Jaedyn Ryba, Jaiden Jaynes (2), Tinnerello, and Amber Kirkpatrick. However, goals from Finch, Margaret Wheatley, and Coleman allowed the Lady Chargers to secure a 17-12 victory in their season opener.

Lincoln Memorial will be back in action on Friday Feb. 9 at home against Thomas More. First draw is slated for 3:00 PM.