BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (CentreColonels.com) – The Centre women's lacrosse team kicked off its 2016 season with a road tilt against the Birmingham Southern Panthers on Saturday afternoon. In a game with wild momentum swings, it was the Panthers who dealt the final blow, scoring the game-winning goal with 63 seconds remaining as the Colonels fell by a score of 14-13.

Centre opened the scoring in the third minute of play as sophomore Colleen Jackson (Gaithersburg, Md.) put in the first two of her game-high five goals on the day within a 38-second span, the second one assisted by senior Jacqueline Anderson (Louisville, Ky.) as the Colonels grabbed an early 2-0 lead. The Panthers would score the next three goals of the game before Anderson tied the score at 3-3 with a goal on a free position shot.

After BSC scored at the 9:50 mark in the first half to go up 4-3, the Colonels dominated the rest of the first half, scoring the final six goals of the frame. Jackson and junior Ellen Resinger (Louisville, Ky.) each contributed a pair of goals in the run, while Anderson and sophomore Hannah Bellamah (Loveland, Ohio) each scored once. Jackson and freshman Hannah Hardy (Louisville, Ky.) provided assists in the rally and Centre entered the locker room at halftime up 9-4. Centre held a 39-22 advantage in shots for the game, including a 27-7 advantage in the first half.

In the second half the Panthers quickly rallied, scoring five straight goals to tie the score at 9-9 with 20 minutes remaining. The Colonels responded with three goals of their own as senior Andrea Wambaugh (Louisville, Ky.) and Hannah Bellamah scored, followed by a capper from Colleen Jackson – her game high fifth goal of the game – to go up 12-9.

Birmingham Southern would once again regain the momentum late in the second half with another 3-0 spurt to tie the game at 12-12 with 5:31 left. But just 28 seconds later, Jacqueline Anderson would score Centre's final goal of the game to put Centre up 13-12. The Panthers would tie the score on a shorthanded goal with 4:26 remaining, and then BSC's Hannah Hudson provided the game winner with 1:03 left to seal the 14-13 win.

In addition to the shots advantage, the Colonels also held a 28-14 edge over the Panthers in ground balls, forced 23 BSC turnovers while committing 15, and were even on draw controls, 14-14.

The Colonels will be back in action on Feb. 21 as they will have a quick turnaround in the state of Alabama. Centre will take on the Huntingdon Hawks with a noon EST start time.