Salem, Va. -- University of Lynchburg women's soccer lost 2-1 in their season-opener against Farmingdale State, Saturday afternoon. 

The Hornets scored on their first offensive opportunity of the game. Maddy Myers inserted the ball on a throw-in to Meghan Lauder. The freshman from Chapel Hill, N.C. connected with Sydney Dombrovskis on a long pass. Dombrovskis battled with the Rams goaltender before making a short pass across the box to Emily Santana, who redirected the ball into an empty net. 

Santana scored 1:56 into the game. Her goal was the quickest score in a season-opener since Angela Bosco '14 scored 1:48 into the game during a 4-0 Lynchburg victory over Maryville (Tenn.) on Aug. 31, 2012. 

The Hornets relinquished their lead four minutes later. Meredith Bowers came out of the net and tried to snag a 50-50 ball out of the air, but the Farmingdale State attacker got to it first and headed the ball into the net for the equalizer. 

Neither team scored after the early scoring outburst in the first half. However, Myers proved to be the key that unlocked Lynchburg's attacking third. The junior midfielder created scoring chances with her precision passing and with her dribbling skills as she deked defenders with a nifty stepover move to get Lynchburg into Farmingdale State territory. 

The Rams struck first in the second half. Bowers was tied up with a Farmingdale State attacker and Lacey Garner denied the initial Rams shot. The ball ricocheted off Garner and Farmingdale State buried the second-chance opportunity, taking a 2-1 lead at the 58:57 mark. 

Lynchburg immediately found opportunities to tie the game up. Leilianis Irigoyen set up for a Lynchburg corner with 29 minutes remaining. Alix Allen rose up in the crowded box and connected with Irigoyen's cross, but her shot sailed over the goal. 

The Hornets continued taking shots as they tried to find the equalizer. Dombrovskis fired a shot wide-left shortly after Allen's header. Alyssa Damato subbed on at the 63' mark and took a shot on goal two minutes later. Dombrovskis nearly found the back of the net twice more late in the game. Her first header went off the crossbar and her second shot less than a minute later was saved by Farmingdale State's goaltender. 

Bowers was tested late, but kept the Hornets close by saving a flurry of shots in the 87'. Bowers finished with four saves.

Farmingdale State ran out the final minutes of the contest possessing the ball in Lynchburg territory as the Hornets dropped their first season-opener since 2019.

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--LYN--