NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Norwich University women's lacrosse team saw an early 1-1 deadlock evaporate, despite a hat trick from Michaila Furchak (Nyack, N.Y.), in a Saturday afternoon loss to the reigning Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) champions in Saint Joseph's College on Sabine Field in league action.

Furchak led the Cadets in scoring, with classmate Maddie Etherton (Johnstown, N.Y.) just behind with two goals.  Quinn Mustone (Medford, Mass.) and Valentina Drown (Acton, Maine) added a goal each.

The Monks wasted no time threading one in, courtesy of Shauna Clark just 33 seconds into the opening frame.  Etherton responded with her first two minutes later, knotting the contest up at one apiece before Clark found Brianna Paul for the go-ahead goal.

Lydia Dexter, the reigning GNAC Offensive Player of the Year, helped add to the Saint Joseph's lead, but the Cadets found some brief momentum when Ellie Moriarty (Stowe, Vt.) roped one from behind the net and out of reach of Alexis Eldridge, finding Furchak in stride for the Cadets' second tally.

Saint Joseph's would take control from there, despite two Norwich goals before the halftime break, one coming from Furchak off another Moriarty feed, and the second off a buzzer-beating rip from Drown.

Norwich will continue its start to the conference season with a Wednesday, Mar. 15 trip to Nashua, N.H., for a 7:00 p.m. clash at Rivier University.