NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Connecticut College women's lacrosse team fell short on senior day, falling to visiting Hamilton 13-11 on Saturday from Silfen Field. With the loss, Conn falls to 7-7 overall and 2-7 in NESCAC play, while Hamilton improves to 5-8 on the year and 2-8 in conference action.

It was a slow opening quarter as both teams struggled to get set offensively in the opening five minutes. Hamilton struck first, off a free-position goal from Maddigan Leifer at 9:05. Just under three minutes later, the Continentals doubled the advantage, before Conn got on the board. Campbell Johnston (Duxbury, Mass.) earned a free-position shot and capitalized at 4:20, but a late goal from Hamilton had the Continentals in front 3-1 after one.

Hamilton pushed the lead to 4-1, before Conn answered with a 5-0 run. Aine Downey (Brookline, Mass.) scored four straight goals to put the Camels in front at 8:12. Johnston then notched another free-position goal to make it 6-4. Hamilton responded with a goal in the dying seconds to put the Camels in front 6-5 at the half.

Hamilton evened the score three and a half minutes into the second half, before Conn used another run to retake the lead. Greta Panke (Milldale, Conn.) connected with Caroline Bruce (Acton, Mass.) to put the Camels back in front. Downey connected on a free-position shot at 7:17, before Bruce finished off a pass from Emma Ognibene (New Canaan, Conn.) to make it 9-6. The Continentals made it 9-7, before another goal from Downey had Conn leading 10-7 heading to the fourth.

Hamilton opened the final frame on the front foot, scoring twice in the first 2:39 to make it 10-9. Kate Coughlin (Reading, Mass.) got a pass from Johnston, bouncing a shot into the cage to make it 11-9 with 11:25 to play. The Continentals responded again however, ending the game on a 4-0 run to earn the 13-11 win.

Hamilton outshot Conn 36-19, while the Camels controlled 16 of 28 draws.

Ava Virga (Watertown, N.Y.) got the start in the cage, finishing with 12 saves. Downey paced Conn with six goals, while Johnston added two goals and three assists. Bruce tacked on two goals and Ognibene notched two assists. Coughlin added one goal and Panke added one assist.

Defensively, Conn scooped up 19 ground balls with Virga collecting a team-high six, with Downey and Hannah Merritt (Cheshire, Conn.) both scooped up three. Sydney Weber (Hanover, Mass.) controlled a team-best seven draws, while Downey controlled four, while Downey led the way with two caused turnovers.

Clara Paolucci got the win in goal, making two saves. Aine Cleary led Hamilton with three goals and two assists, while two other Continentals added four points.

Conn closes out the regular season on Wednesday, as the Camels travel to Middletown, Conn. to take on Wesleyan at 6:00 p.m.