The Butler women's lacrosse team suffered a 15-5 loss against Villanova on Saturday. The Bulldogs drop to 5-6 on the season and 1-2 in conference play, while the Wildcats get their first conference win of the season and are now 9-4 overall. 

How it happened 

Villanova's defense began a trend of tough defense in the first quarter, allowing just three shots and one shot on goal. On the offensive end, four different Wildcats scored to give them a 4-0 lead after one quarter of play. 

The second quarter saw more offense for the Bulldogs. Leah Rubino scored two of her three goals and Luci Selander found the back of the net in the closing seconds before halftime. However, the Wildcats continued to pressure the Butler defense and used a fast-paced approach on offense. All nine of Villanova's shots in the quarter were on goal, with six of them hitting the back of the net to extend their lead to 10-3 at half. 

Butler held Villanova to two goals in the third, their lowest-scoring quarter of the game. The Bulldogs were unable to capitalize on offense, as they were held scoreless in the quarter.  

In the fourth quarter, Rubino scored her third goal of the game off a KK Callaghan assist and Kaley Attaway also scored from an assist by Tessa Fackrell. The lead was just too much to overcome, and three Villanova goals in the quarter made the final score 15-5.  

Notable Stats 

• Rubino recorded her fifth game this season with at least three goals. 

• The Bulldogs had a season-low nine draw controls. 

• Both teams committed 19 turnovers. 

• Butler recorded their lowest shot percentage (26.3%) of the season. 

• Caroline Smith logged nine saves and three ground balls in the game. 

• Villanova's Sami Carey led all players with a game-high seven points (three goals, four assists). 

Up Next 

The Bulldogs return home for an in-state battle with Notre Dame on Monday. First draw is set for 2 p.m.