ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Hamline lacrosse team (2-3) outscored Illinois Wesleyan (5-1) 5-3 in the second half, but would run out of time to complete the comeback, falling 9-6 at Klas Field on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Pipers had three players end with two points apiece in the game, as seniors Maya Hernandez and Maria Lewis each had a pair of goals and Ashley Hessler tallied a pair of assists. First year Emma Moe and sophomore Taryn Leonard were the final two players to score for HU.
 
Lewis and Hernandez were once again strong off the draw, as Lewis collected three draw controls and Hernandez snatched up two. Defensively, senior Tara Westerlund had two caused turnovers and Alyssa Bryan-Jeffries had six ground balls.
 
As a team, the Pipers totaled 25 shots on the day, with 17 of them landing on net. The Trojans held a slight edge in shots with 29 in the contest. They also heavily pressured the midfield, causing turnovers on eight of Hamline's 22 clear attempts.
 
Illinois Wesleyan owned the first 10 minutes of play, getting six straight goals to start the game with a 6-0 lead. A goal from Hernandez (assisted by Hessler) got the Pipers on the board. The final nine minutes of the half were scoreless, leaving HU trailing 6-1 at halftime.
 
The Trojans scored first again in the second half, but Lewis answered a few minutes later for the Pipers to make it 7-2. She was assisted by Hessler on the play. Two more goals from Illinois Wesleyan put Hamline in a bigger hole at 9-2, but with eight minutes to go the Pipers began to mount their comeback.
 
Lewis started the scoring with a goal, finishing a pass from junior Tara DeLeo. Hernandez was next to score, getting a goal with 4:38 left to play. Moe added her goal les than a minute later to make it a four-goal game at 9-5. With 2:35 left in the game, Leonard converted on a free position shot to get the Pipers within three, but that was as close as they would get, despite having four more free position attempts and getting three more shots off.
 
Bryan-Jeffries made 16 saves in the contest, taking the loss in net. The senior is now 2-3 on the season.
 
The Pipers play again next Saturday, March 27, heading to Northwestern for their first conference matchup. Game time is set for 4:30 p.m.