PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville University women's lacrosse team officially began the 2025 season on Saturday afternoon, falling to SUNY New Paltz by a final of 19-3. The Valiants drop their first season-opener since 2022 and carry an 0-1 record down to Florida for next week's Spring Fling Lacrosse Tournament in Panama City Beach.

It was all New Paltz from the opening draw as the Hawks scored ten unanswered goals to begin play. The Hawks led 8-0 at the end of the first quarter as Lexi Atwater put on a show with an opening stanza hat trick to lead the New Paltz attack. Lexi's sister Morgan closed out the first period scoring and began the second with her second strike of the day 2:42 into the new period. Kaitlyn Shaw added on a minute later with her third of the day to put the visitors up 10-0 and enact the running clock with 11:13 left in the half.

Kathleen O'Mara (Huntington, N.Y./Walt Whitman) broke the shutout and scored the Valiants' first goal of 2025 with 9:43 left in the quarter as the Valiants capitalized on a Hawk yellow card that put the home side up an attacker. The freshman made the most of the numbers game to put Manhattanville on the board. New Paltz went back on the offensive two minutes later, as Shaw, Mia Baldinger and Lexi Atwater concluded a dominant first half with one more goal each to put the Hawks up 13-1.

The Valiants played their best game in the third quarter out of the halftime break, outscoring New Paltz 2-1. O'Mara struck again 2:28 into the stanza before Ashley Glass (Mahopac, N.Y./Lakeland) tallied her first collegiate goal with 1:56 left in the quarter. The two Valiant tallies sandwiched Lexi Atwater's fifth goal of the afternoon, sending the game into the fourth with the Hawks comfortably ahead 14-3.

New Paltz came back to life in the fourth, scoring the final five goals of play. After a pair of strikes from Shaw brought her total on the day to six, the Atwater sisters added one more goal each before Jojo Williams brought an end to the scoring with a free position goal.

Megan McDonald (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) made seven saves in her collegiate debut in the net for the Valiants. The Hawks split time between three netminders, with Gabriella Tommasso getting the start and earning the win with three saves and one goal allowed in her 22:46 of game time. Piper Mascaros played the next 22:14 with one save and two goals allowed, while Izzy Miraglia played a scoreless fourth quarter with one save to close out the day.

O'Mara generated the most offensive opportunities for the Valiants with five total shots and four on goal. She also led the team defensively with three ground balls and three caused turnovers. Glass, McDonald and Mariah Stevens added two ground balls apiece. Mia Camey (Hampton Bays, N.Y./Hampton Bays) forced a pair of Hawk giveaways.

Kaci Pierce (Niantic, Conn./East Lyme) was Manhattanville's draw leader on the day with five controls, while Glass added four. Pierce also finished with the second highest shot total for Manhattanville with three.

Up Next
The Valiants are off to Panama City Beach for Spring Break, playing a pair of games at the Spring Fling tourney. Manhattanville's action in the Sunshine State begins on Tuesday at 5 p.m. EST against New England College.

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