ST. LOUIS – Expectations for MBU women's lacrosse are higher than they've ever been. Third year head coach Max Ruhl has taken no shortcuts in scheduling what is a rigorous slate for the Spartans. It comes during a year that many around the program hope to be a season ending at the NAIA National Tournament in Southfield, Mich. Saturday's season opener will likely prove to be only a slight setback given the final result.
 
No. 8 in the nation Missouri Baptist (0-1) welcomed the 4th-ranked Seahawks of Keiser University (3-0) to Spartan Field for a Top 10 clash in the first action of the new campaign. Although MBU was defeated in the end by a score of 14-12, the hustle and determination of this season's group was evident throughout the contest.
 
The Spartans fell behind 2-0 after four minutes before attacker Lydia Cornett scored the first goal of the season on a free position shot. The attempt followed a Seahawk infraction inside the fan as the sophomore was through on goal. Cornett took one hop step forward and ripped a low shot that snuck in (6:00) for her first of three goals on the afternoon.
 
It was a trying first quarter after the opening tally for MBU as Keiser showed its quality and scored the next three goals. Cornett rounded out the opening period with a do-it-herself effort off the draw of the fifth Seahawk goal and ran through several defenders for a point-blank look that she slotted home (13:49) to make it 5-2.
 
A player-up goal for the visitors followed to open the second, but perennial talisman and reigning Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year Jordan Haeusser scored back-to-back goals to stop the bleeding and keep the game from getting out of hand. KU would score the next four unanswered that bookended halftime before the sides ran the score to 11-6 by trading a pair of goals. Mack Miller (37:56) and Kamryn Bell (40:40) opened their 2023 accounts with the seventh and eighth Spartan marks of the game.
 
The fourth quarter is where the MoBap offense came alive, starting with another goal from Miller (45:47). MBU scored five more, with four over the final three minutes, for a six-goal fourth quarter. The Spartan looked potent in the final minutes as Chayleb Deves (57:00) and Caroline Karr recorded their first scores of the campaign, while Cornett and Haeusser finished off their hat tricks to cap a 12-goal performance.
 
The MBU defense had moments throughout and shored up tremendously in the final period. It was a new group with transfers Sophia Zegar and Alyssa Graebner pairing with returnees Natalie Patrick, Loryn Dotson, and Amelia Shaw. Graebner and Shaw split time in the cage, with Shaw making nine saves in the first half before Graebner stepped in to cover the second, registering six saves from her time in the crease.
 
Haeusser, Cornett, Miller, and Bell all tied for top-point getters at three apiece, while Karr was the leader in picking up with three ground balls.
 
Missouri Baptist must trudge on and learn quickly from the opening loss. The Spartans will travel to Atchison, Kan., for a game with former KCAC foe, defending NAIA national champion, and current No. 1 Benedictine College on Thursday, Mar. 2nd at 4:00 PM.