ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Paige Zahler (Verona, Wis./Verona) scored three goals in Lewis University's women's lacrosse season opener against Concordia-St. Paul on Sunday afternoon at Lewis Stadium. The Flyers fell to the Golden Bears 13-3.

The game was scoreless for the first 10 minutes until CSP's (1-1) Erica Peterson scored from Lex Seifert to jump on top. The Bears added three goals in the span of 5:17 to extend their lead to 4-0 and would add two more in the final 10 minutes of the half to take a 6-0 lead into the locker room at half.

Zahler scored her first goal of the afternoon 1:15 into the second half as she scored on a free position shot for her first collegiate goal.

Concordia-St. Paul tacked on three goals in the span of 5:07 to extend its lead to eight. Zahler scored on another free position shot with 9:39 remaining and added an unassisted goal with less than five minutes to play.

Lewis (0-1) was outshot in the contest 28-15 and 24-12 in shots on goal. The Golden Bears picked up 37 ground balls to 29 for the Flyers. Meltonique Bowen (Pembroke Pines, Fla./Flanagan) led Lewis with seven ground ball pickups while Brigid Fornek (Lawrenceville, Ga./Grayson) added five ground balls and made 11 saves.

Sara McNicoll led CSP with three goals while Sarah Pierson, Ellie Fedorowski and Margot Coomes had two goals apiece. Maia Hodgins forced two turnovers and Katie Lottsfeldt picked up eight ground balls and made nine saves in goal.

The Flyers are back in action on Saturday (March 13) as they travel to Cleveland, Tenn., to take on Alabama-Huntsville at Lee University at 1 p.m. (CT).