MADISON, N.J. (Feb. 23, 2016) – On a rainy Tuesday evening, the Drew University women's lacrosse team fell to Montclair State University, 10-6, to open the 2016 season at Ranger Stadium.
 
Sophomore midfielder Maddie Spiess matched a career-high with four goals on six shots in the game. Sophomore midfielders Juliana Strazulo and Nicole Kinney pitched in goals as well with Strazulo assisting on Spiess's first. Strazulo also scooped up a team-high three ground balls.
 
The Rangers (0-1) setback came to a Monclair State (1-0) team that finished second in the New Jersey Athletic Conference last year but dropped the first-round playoff contest to Rowan University.
 
The Rangers opened their scoring with a calculated effort and patient attack to the net. Strazulo and Spiess tossed it back and forth as they patrolled the perimeter. Strazulo worked the top of the perimeter before a cutting Spiess got into her line of sight. Strazulo fed her and Spiess converted the aggressive chance for Drew's first goal of the season. The conversion tied the score at 1-1.
 
Three minutes before Drew's goal, the Red Hawks took advantage of a restart to grab the first goal of the game. The shooter used a tomahawk technique as she bounced one in on the straightaway try.
 
Montclair responded to Drew's score with 20 minutes to go in the half as their attackers sprinted downfield and used a combination of cross-field passes to dangle one in.
 
The Rangers came right back on the Montclair defense, infusing their attack into the circle of Red Hawk defenders. Strazulo, with the ball on her stick circled the attack calmly, searching for a crease, she found one and bolted through, flicking in the equalizer.
 
The Red Hawks and Rangers exchange another pair of goals around the 15-minute mark of the half. After a gritty Red Hawk score from the dirty areas, Spiess answered again.  She surveyed the defensive front and leaned into a fake shot that froze her guard, she zipped past her and completed the show-and-go goal.
 
The Rangers went into halftime trailing 4-3.
 
Out of the half, the Red Hawks thought they had scored but the would-be goal was called back on a penalty. The Rangers then took it back down the opposite way and fed it to Spiess who wiggled into the zone and garnered her hat trick. The game was tied 4-4 with 25 minutes to go.
 
Montclair finally strung together two goals for the first time, within two minutes of each other. They led 6-4 with 22 minutes to play.
 
Drew cut the deficit in half when sophomore attacker Sage Johnson and Kinney linked up with a quick give-and-go to lock in the first points of the year for the pair. 20 minutes remained and Drew trailed by one.
 
The teams traded two more goals with Spiess adding her fourth goal of the game.
 
The Red Hawks, following Spiess' goal broke out into a flurry of conversions that took them to the final whistle with the lead.
 
Montclair State outshot Drew 22-14 in the setback and turned the ball over six fewer times than Drew, 21-16.
 
The Rangers' season-opening home stand rolls on with a contest against Muhlenberg College next on the docket. The tilt is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. draw on Saturday, Feb. 27.