RALEIGH, N.C. -- The visiting St. Mary's (MD.) Seashawks dealt Meredith College their first season opening loss since 2017 with a final score of 13-5. Rookie Tori Witmer recorded three of the Avenging Angels' goals.

Last year's second-leading scorer Lilia Cruz netted the opening point with a free position goal in the third minute of the match. But the Avenging Angels had no answer for Seahawk Kate Bartholomew, who scored four of SMC's next six goals unassissted. Lucy Gussio found the net twice more for the Seahawks during the first half before Witmer found her way inside the crease just before the first half expired.

Cruz collected the second period's opening draw and found Witmer for another goal in the opening minute of the half. But St. Mary's controlled the tempo through the midway point, scoring the next five goals to spread the gap to eight at 11-3 with 13:40 remaining in regulation.

After a stop by Joy Deitrich in the 13th minute, Cruz found Witmer for Meredith's fourth point on the day. Cruz controlled the next draw, and Henely Peatross found the Avenging Angels net for the last time on the day.

SMC went on to score two more before time expired.

Maya Flake recorded four attempts at the goal this afternoon, and Olivia Blake tallied a pair. Deitrich led with seven ground balls, Cruz tallied four, and Ansley Harris notched three. Cruz grabbed also won four draw controls with Kylie Phillips on two and Peatross with one. Meredith's caused turnovers were peppered across the defense with Harris forcing two in the loss.

Six of Deitrich's stops in goal came at from Bartholomew, who led with 12 shots and 11 on goal on the day. The Seahawks' 27 ground balls were spread across 14 players with Jodi Credit grabbing a team-high four. Stephanie Heffron finished with a game-high six draw controls with three ground balls, adding a pair of caused turnovers. Mary Kate Fitz-Patrick and goalie Aimee Uibel grabbed two apiece, and Uibel tallied nine saves in the win.

The Avenging Angels travel to Randolph-Macon next Saturday for a 1 p.m. pairing. The Yellow Jackets handed MC Lax an unexpected loss last spring in Raleigh.