UNION, N.J. (3/7/15) – The Kean University women's lacrosse team got a great performance from its freshmen in their collegiate debuts but fell 9-7 in overtime to undefeated Arcadia University on Saturday. It was the first game of the season for the Cougars, while Arcadia raised its record to 3-0 on the year.

Arcadia scored just 20 seconds into the game when Adeline Bellesheim scored with an assist from Erin Misner. The Knights held that 1-0 lead for nearly 10 minutes.

But after that, Kean's freshmen – playing in their first collegiate action – took over the game. First, Emily Stasuk earned a free-position opportunity that she converted for the game-tying goal. Then, Guilia Vitolo scored a minute later from upperclassman Jordan Blanda.

The Knights tied it up again, but then Kean scored four-straight to end the first period. Freshman Taylor Hynes scored on a beautiful one-timed pass from Vitolo to go up 3-2, and then their classmate Brittany Ballack added a free position goal.

With eight minutes to go, Stasuk (pictured left) had a great individual effort to get another Cougar goal. The freshman was able to strip the Arcadia goalie for a turnover, scooped up the ground ball and put the ball in the open cage for the goal. Blanda scored another free position goal to cap the Cougar scoring.

Freshman goaltender Nikki Apostolopoulos was also impressive in her collegiate debut. She made two saves on Arcadia free-position opportunities as the Knights were just 1-for-5 on those in the first half.

But Arcadia stormed back in the second period and outscored the hosts 5-1. Sam Gnapp scored the lone Kean goal, but the Knights got a tally from Misner with 1:40 to go in the game to knot it up and send it to overtime.

In the extra session, Haylee Molloy scored both goals to lift the Knights to the come-from-behind victory. She finished with a hat trick for Arcadia.

The Cougars are now heading to California for Spring Break with games at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Chapman University on March 16 and 18, respectively.