EASTON, Pa. -- The Lafayette field hockey team opened up its 2018 regular season campaign on Friday evening at Rappolt Field, falling by a 3-1 score to Fairfield.

The Leopards opened the scoring in the 19^th minute as junior Caroline Turnbull beat Stags' goalie Zoe Rosen in transition for the 1-0 lead. Fairfield didn't take long to answer as the equalizer materialized less than a minute later when the rebound from Corrine Persichetti's initial shot found the stick of Kaley McMullen, who beat Lafayette junior goalie Sarah Park to make it 1-1.

Late in the opening half, the Stags took their first lead of the contest as Sam Giordano sent a pass from the left side across the goal mouth to a cutting Iona Armour in the middle. Armour was able to slide a shot around Park as the visitors went into the halftime break with a 2-1 advantage.

A different Lafayette team came out of the halftime intermission as the majority of the first 10-15 minutes of the second stanza were played in Fairfield's defensive end. A sequence around the 45-minute mark gave the Leopards their best chance at a tying goal, but shots from juniors Lisa van der Geest and Turnbull were blocked and just outside the post, respectively, to keep the deficit intact.

While the Maroon and White continued to push, an insurance tally in the 60^th minute all but sealed their fate, putting the Fairfield lead at two by a 3-1 margin. The final nine minutes were played with an extra offensive player for Lafayette, but the finishes in the circle weren't surfacing as the clock ran out on a season-opening defeat.

Despite allowing three goals, Park was solid between the pipes in her 2018 debut, making seven saves, while Rosen finished with three stops for the visitors. Turnbull led the Leopards offensively with four shots, including converting on her lone shot on goal. Van der Geest added three shots with one on goal, while senior Liza Welch and freshman Molly McAndrew each added a pair of shots with one each hitting the target.

The Maroon and White held a slim advantage in overall shots, 13-12, and out-cornered their opponent, 6-4.

Lafayette will have a week to prepare before their rebound opportunity next Friday, traveling to Richmond for a 3 p.m. tilt with the Spiders.