WESTMINSTER, Md. - The McDaniel College women's lacrosse team scored three unanswered goals in the second half, but fell just short in a 7-5 loss to open Centennial Conference play on Saturday inside Gill Stadium.

Trailing 7-2 at the half, the Green Terror (5-4, 0-1 CC) held the Mules scoreless in the second half while scoring three goals,

McDaniel had four shots in the game's final nine minutes, including two free-position attempts, but could not get the equalizer as Muhlenberg's Ellison Ervin made two of her eight saves while another attempt went wide.

Junior Charlotte Alexander scored off an assist from junior Mia McElwee with 1:15 remaining to pull the Green Terror within two, but they had two turnovers on their final two possessions, allowing the Mules (7-1, 1-0 CC) to escape with the two-goal victory.

Five different players accounted for all five goals for McDaniel with junior Kat Thayer netting her team-leading 20th to get the team on the board in the first quarter.

Sophomore Emily Conklin scored her 10th goal of the season to open the scoring in the second half, converting a free-position shot with 6:35 left. Conklin is the fifth Green Terror with double-digit goals this season. Junior Jordan Gambrill netted her sixth goal of the year with 5:11 to play in the second quarter as she and McElwee, with five goals, are not far behind.

The last time the team had seven players with at least 10 goals each was in 2022 and 2015. That is the most players with double-digit goals since 2014 when the team had eight players with at least 10 goals.

McDaniel had more ground balls and draw controls than Muhlenberg, but was just 3-for-8 on free-position shots.

Senior Sadie Bowman had three caused turnovers while Thayer had two to go along with two ground balls and one draw control. Senior Kayonna Cook had four draw controls, one ground ball and one caused turnover.

After playing seven of their first nine games at home, including six in-a-row, the Green Terror will have three of their next four on the road against Centennial Conference competition beginning next Saturday, March 29 when they travel to face No. 23 Haverford. Opening draw is at 1 p.m.