SALISBURY, Md. -- The Meredith College Avenging Angels closed out a 17-2 season with a 12-11 loss to the Cabrini Cavaliers in Saturday's round one action of the NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Tournament. Katie Sills led the defensive efforts in goal with a career-high 12 saves, and Carlee Joseph tallied three goals, one assist to lead the offense.

Cabrini advanced to Sunday's second round action versus the tournament host Salisbury Sea Gulls at 1 p.m.

The Avenging Angels jumped out front on a quick goal from Katie Burnet off an assist from Holly Hite, and the MC Lax defense held off a pair of drives from Cabrini to maintain the advantage.

Capretti recovered a groundball on a Cabrini turnover at 23:24, which led to a goal by Victoria Doyle off a Joseph pass.

After more than 13 scoreless minutes, Cabrini found the net on an unassisted goal from Allie Vallen to put the Cavs on the board. Burnet controlled the next draw, and Joseph finished the play with her first score of the match to give Meredith a 3-1 lead at 12:12.

But four unanswered goals left Cabrini with a 5-3 advantage at the half.

Holly Hite finally ended the scoring draught with a quick drive in the opening 20 seconds of the second period.

In the sixth minute of the half, Capretti battled with Cavs keeper Megan Barlow to earn a shot at the goal. She rebounded her first attempt to score Meredith's fifth point to tie the match. Doyle followed with an unassisted goal 10 seconds later to give the Avenging Angels their first lead since the 10-minute mark in the first period.

Cabrini's Sasha Wozniak led the Cavs with an assist and a goal to put CC back in front 6-5 at 23:18. Katie Lasater and Wozniak paired again at 23:00 to advance Cabrini's lead to two.

Cameron Ruffin forced a turnover on Cabrini's next drive, but Meredith botched the opportunity to give the ball back to the Cavs.

Cabrini went on to score two more unanswered goals to hold a 10-6 advantage at 18:16 before Sarah Arbes ended the rally with an unassisted drive off of the draw. The Cavaliers responded on the clear to deflate any hope to swing the momentum back to Meredith.

But the Avenging Angels continued to battle as Holly Hite dished off for a Joseph score to keep Meredith in the mix at 11-8 with 17:15 remaining in regulation.

Sills deflected Cabrini's attempt on the next draw, and an unforced turnover moved the ball back in favor of the Angels. Barlow saved an attempt from Capretti on the other end, but Joseph forced Barlow to turnover the pass to lead to another point for Meredith.

Hite collected the draw and Jennifer Halvorson scored her only goal of the match unassisted.

Ruffin forced a Cavs turnover to give the ball right back to the Angels, and Hite battled for a pair of free position attempts. Hite passed off to Burnet for the goal on her second attempt to tie the match at 11 with just under 12 minutes remaining.

Sills deflected the next Cabrini attack, but the Cavs recovered the ball for another attempt that found the back of the net. An unforced Meredith error gave the ball back to Cabrini, but Sills recorded another save to stop the effort.

Another unforced Meredith error gave the ball back to CC for a drive, but Sills came up with another big save late in the match.

Ruffin caused a Cabrini turnover with 28 seconds left in the match to give the Angels one last chance to tie the match, but a tenacious Cabrini defense forced a turnover on attempt to pass deep into the midfield to give the Cavs the chance to hold the ball for the win.

Burnet finished her career with a pair of goals, one assist and four draw controls, and Doyle notched a pair of goals, including one on a free position. Hite finished with four points on three assists, one goal, adding a match-high seven draw controls for the Angels.

Barlow tallied seven saves for Cabrini in her 14th win on the season. Sasha Wozniak led the Cavaliers with five points on three goals, two assists.