Three Saints scored, while Raelynn Bovenzi and Courtney Lynn combined for 10 saves, but an early lead powered the defending national champions and top-ranked Middlebury Panthers to a 15-3 win over the No. 19 St. Lawrence University women's lacrosse team on Thursday evening in Middlebury, Vermont.

Rachel Burke, Jacqui Cloutier and Neve Ley all scored for the Scarlet and Brown, while Kelsey O'Brien helped lead the defense with three ground balls and two caused turnovers. Cloutier also recorded two caused turnovers and two ground balls.

The top ranked Panthers jumped out to a 5-0 lead over the Saints after the first quarter of play, four of those goals off the stick of Hope Shue.

Middlebury added another five in the second quarter, marking a 10-goal run to keep the Saints scoreless and hold a 10-0 lead at the break.

Burke scored the first goal of the game for the Saints at 11:02 of the third quarter for her third goal of the season and Morgan Arakelian assisted on the play. The Panthers then responded with another three to build a 13-1 advantage with one quarter remaining.

Middlebury opened the fourth with a pair of goals from Caroline Messer and Sara Ellinghaus, but the Saints were able to break through again with unassisted goals from Cloutier and Ley.

Shue scored six goals to lead Middlebury, while Kelcey Dion tallied two and seven members of the Panthers squad each recorded one. Erica Barr picked up a team-best four ground balls and caused five turnovers.

Bovenzi finished with six saves, while Lynn made four for the Saints, while Gina Driscoll and Annie Enrietto each made one for the Panthers.

The Panthers outshot the Saints 30-7 in the contest.

St. Lawrence fell to 1-2 on the season, while Middlebury improved to 4-0.

The Saints will return home to host the Rochester Yellowjackets for their first Liberty League game of the year on Saturday, March 18 at 2 p.m., before hitting the road for spring break.