RIVER FALLS, Wis. (uwrfsports.com) -The Falcons' lacrosse team lost their first true road game of the year on Saturday afternoon 9-6 at Carroll University in Waukesha, Wis. The Pioneers got four goals out of Courtenay Karls and used a 26-17 advantage on shots to drop the Falcons to 2-2 this season. 

Gina Jablonski set up Emma Kohlbeck for the opening goal of the game five minutes into the first half, but Karls added two goals of her own within three minutes to put the Pioneers up 2-1. It wasn't until 13:15 remaining that Carroll extended their lead on a free position goal from Michaela Johnson. The Pioneers were a man-up after Ashley Olson picked up a yellow card on a foul, which also came only about a minute after Sophia Leong picked up a yellow card in her first game of the year after playing for the women's hockey team in the winter. 

Another UWRF hockey player, Reilly Springman, scored her first goal of the year to cut the lead to 3-2 with 8:58 left in the first half on an assist from Kohlbeck. Clara Jelacic scored her 17th goal of the year in only her fifth game to build the lead to 4-2, and Alyssa Scharff scored on another free position shot after Leong picked up her second yellow card of the first half. Lexy Meinert brought the score to 5-3 at the half after scoring a goal when the Falcons were a man-up with one minute left in the first half after a yellow card was shown to Amanda Ferr. 

It took the Pioneers less than a minute to go up 6-3 after a goal from Ariannah Ritter, but Meinert scored her second goal of the day to cut the deficit to two goals. Meinert now has five goals on the season, and the assist from Jablonski was her fifth of the year. The teams traded goals in the next two minutes after Scharff scored again for Carroll before Emma Moonen scored her first of the year on a free position shot after the Falcons once again found themselves a man-up after a Pioneers' yellow card. 

Yellow cards continued to be a factor in the later stages of the game, as Karls secured her hat trick on a free position shot shortly after Krystal Fischer picked up a yellow card for the Falcons. Kohlbeck added a free position goal of her own to make it 8-6 with 8:57 remaining, but Karls came up with a clutch goal on a free position shot with 2:46 remaining to give the Pioneers the 9-6 victory.

The Falcons committed eight more fouls than Carroll and had four yellow cards that almost all directly led to goals for the Pioneers. Grace Ross had her first loss in goal but managed to make 10 saves and caused a turnover. Meinert and Kohlbeck each had two goals apiece, while Jablonski led the Falcons with two assists, five shots, six caused turnovers and 13 ground ball pickups. 

UWRF is back in action for the first of five road games during spring break when they take on Augustana College (Ill.) at 3 p.m. next Saturday.