WELLESLEY, Mass. – Wellesley College lacrosse dropped a 15-8 game to Johnson & Wales University in both team's season opener on Tuesday at Butler Stadium.

First-years Sidney Mayers (New Paltz, N.Y.) and Riley Shepley (San Diego, Calif.) each poured in five goals for the Wildcats. Sophomore Kelsey Higgins (Enfield, Conn.) had two goals and two assists. Mayers recorded a game-high 10 draw controls.

Sophomore Charlotte Petersen-Kopman (St. Louis, Mo.) and first-year Milica Simic (Park Ridge, Ill.) each recorded a hat-trick for the Blue. First-year Eliza Wysong (Kansas City, Mo.) won four draw controls, scooped up three ground balls, and scored twice. Sophomore Amelia Woodard (Montpelier, Vt.) caused a trio of turnovers.

The teams were tied up at 2-2 after 8:03 of play, with Wysong and Simic scoring for Wellesley, and Shepley finding the goal twice for JWU. From there the paths diverged, with the Wildcats scoring four unanswered goals in the latter portions of the first. 

Wellesley regained its footing by responding with two goals early in the third quarter. Petersen-Kopman connected on a shot set up by a pass from first-year Fran Primoli (Stillwater, Minn.) and Simic fired in a second goal. The Wildcats accounted for three of the final four goals of the half, putting the visitors up 9-5 after thirty minutes.

JWU outscored Wellesley 4-0 in the third period to gain a controlling 13-5 edge. Mayers recorded a trio of unassisted goals while Higgins took advantage of a player-up situation to score.

Wysong gave the Blue another tally with just over nine minutes left to play. Mayers registered a fifth goal of the game before Simic and Petersen-Kopman both completed their respective hat-tricks. Shepley the finishing touches on a 15-8 performance, scoring a fifth goal with just seven seconds remaining.

First-year goalie Carley Cook (Bristol, Vt.) earned a save and three ground balls in the win for the Wildcats.

Wellesley recorded 11 total saves as a team. Senior Anna Blake Patrick (Portland, Ore.), sophomores Aspen Caudill (Louisville, Ky.), Elaina Brookhart (Mystic, Conn.) and first-year Scarlett McArthur (Toronto, Ontario) all earned at least two saves in goal.

Each team next plays on Saturday, February 21. The Blue will play at Simmons University at 12:00 PM. The Wildcats host Lasell University at 11:00 AM.