ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The No. 8 ranked Regis University women's lacrosse team (17-3) came up short against the No. 9 ranked Queens University of Charlotte Royals (17-3) in the first-round of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II National Tournament by a final score of 15-11. 
 
Regis made their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance while Queens returned for the second-straight year.
 
How it Happened: The Rangers came out on fire scoring four of the first five goals of the game. Freshman Ali Vanek got it all started as she and sophomore Sarah Myres connected on the opening goal. The Royals countered with a goal of their own, but that is when RU began to flex their offensive power.
 
Vanek, junior Jada Bonner and sophomore Wendy Donier netted all combined to score three-straight goals giving No. 4 seeded Regis an early 4-1 lead. After another goal from No. 5 seeded Queens, Vanek swiftly scored her third goal of the game to put the Rangers ahead by three-goals, 5-2, for the second time in the half.
 
It was at that point in the game that the Royals found an offensive rhythm as they went on a 6-0 run that stretched nearly 13 minutes. With less than ten seconds on the clock, RU collected a loose ball and began transitioning up the field. Two lengthy passes helped the ball reach junior Rachael Walker who passed the ball to Vanek who slotted the ball home for her fourth goal of the half to bring the Regis within two goals, 6-8, of Queens as the clock hit all zeroes.
 
The goal seemed like it might wake the Regis offense back up as it stopped their 17:38 scoreless drought. However, it was the Royals who struck first in the second half to go up 9-6. Sophomore Wendy Donier scored a goal two minutes later to cut the lead down to two goals again.
 
As both teams battled for possession for the next five minutes, Queens went on another small run scoring three goals in a seven-minute span extending their lead to 12-7 over the Rangers. Bonner then took matters into her own hands winning the draw control, and speeding down the middle of the field to score her second goal of the game to stop the Royals offensive run.
 
After two more goals from Queens, RU showed that they were not going down without a fight. Redshirt-senior Erin Todd scored two goals and Donier added another in a span of only 1:20 seconds helping Regis claw their way within three goals 11-14.
 
With another possession, the Rangers cruised down the field and rattled off two shots but the second shot was saved and corralled by the Royals' goalkeeper. On the ensuing clear attempt, senior Erin Steiner forced a turnover, scooping up the ground ball to begin the counter attack. RU fired another shot on goal and the Queens goalkeeper made another huge save.
 
Regis pulled freshman Court Huston (L, 7-2) from the goal to add another field player in an attempt to outnumber their opponents. However, a foul deep in Regis territory allowed the Royals to score on the empty net, all but sealing the win for Queens. The Royals possessed the ball until the final seconds ticked off the clock, winning the game by a final score of 15-11.
 
Game Notes: The nation's highest scoring team was held to only 11 goals, their lowest of the season, despite outshooting their opponents 30-24. 23 of those shots were put on goal while Queens managed only 20. Each team committed 16 turnovers, but the ground balls category tilted in favor of the Rangers 20-18 as did draw controls (17-10).
 
Vanek led all RU players with four goals on the day, scoring all four in the first half on six total shots. Donier (3 DC, 1 GB, 1-1 FPS) followed with three goals of her own with Todd (1 GB, 1 CT, 1-2 FPS) and Bonner (1 A, 5 GB, 4 CT, 6 DC) each adding two each. Myres tallied a game-high three assists and senior Tierra Romero chipped in with three caused turnovers and two ground balls and fellow senior Anna Takushi helped with one ground ball and one caused turnover as well.
 
The loss ends the Rangers' incredible 2017 season in which they set a program record with 17 victories, while also playing in the first ever NCAA Division II National Tournament game in Regis history. The team was nothing short of brilliant as they captured their second Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Tournament Championship beating the then No. 2 ranked Lindenwood Lions in the final game. Although the season did not finish the way many would have liked, it was an amazingly successful year for the entire 2017 Regis University women's lacrosse team.