PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – An end-to-end thriller in Philadelphia ended in heartbreaking fashion as Fairfield University women's lacrosse fall in a closely contested 10-9 bout at Drexel this afternoon. Four Stags would find the back of the net led by a hat trick from Maggie Fort.

Fort topped the point totals alongside Libby Rowe who added two scores and an assist, while Rylee Harrell and Elizabeth Talluto netting the others. Ellie Grefenstette would tack on two helpers and Olivia Doody added one to round out the scoring. Defensively Talluto and Harrell matched each other with a team high four ground balls and both Harrell and Brynn Donnelly paced the draw numbers with three apiece. In the cage Casey Collins made seven saves for a .412 percentage on the afternoon.

Drexel would open the scoring 44 seconds into the opening frame on a goal by Hayleigh Simpson to take an early lead before back-to-back Fairifeld scores by Fort and Talluto flipped the script to give their side a one-goal edge. Corinne Bednarik would add two straight for the home side from there midway through the quarter before a second tally by Talluto leveled the game at three apiece after 15 minutes of action.

The second quarter saw the Dragons net three straight all from the stick of Simpson to take their biggest of the day at 6-3. Harrell would tack one back for the Stags with 4:17 to go in the half, and Rowe would net her first of the day with a couple minutes to go, cutting the deficit to just one goal as the sides headed into the locker room.

Out of halftime, Fort notched her second of the day to bring Fairfield level at six-all, but Bridget Finley for Drexel would score with 8:04 to play and give her side back the lead. From there, Fort would complete a hat trick and Rowe would net a second to give the Stags their first lead of the day, before a fourth score by Simpson brought the game to an 8-8 deadlock heading into the final frame.

She would find the back of the net to open the fourth quarter as well, opening back a one-goal lead that was answered shortly after by Harrell. The score would hold at 9-9 until 1:59 to go when Alex Wall would net the game winner to give Drexel the victory Saturday afternoon.

Fairfield women's lacrosse is back in action this Wednesday when they return to Connecticut to take on SHU across town. Opening draw from Sacred Heart is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.