The Lake Forest College women's soccer team was defeated 4-3 by the University of Dubuque in its home opener on Sunday.

The Foresters jumped out to the early lead with a score just 99 seconds into the contest. After a give-and-go just past midfield, junior Caitlin Mulcahy sent the ball forward with perfect pace and classmate Anna Gracia reached it just before the Spartan goalkeeper. Her pass reached junior Izzy DeStefano right in front of the empty goal and she tapped it in for her second score in as many games his season.

Dubuque flipped the script in the middle of the first half, tying the game at the 18:11 mark and pulling ahead less than three-and-a-half minutes later.

Mulcahy, the 2023 Midwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year, turned defense into offense in the 41st minute, intercepting a pass 50 yards from the goal, sprinting through the Spartan defense. and blasting a shot through the keeper's fingertips and into the left side of the goal.

The visitors, however, regained the lead just 84 seconds later and took that 3-2 advantage into halftime.

Lake Forest pulled even again less than a minute into the second half. A punt from Forester goalkeeper Franca Finch was allowed to bounce a few time as it crossed midfield and DeStefano gained control before sending it forward to Gracia, whose shot from just above the fir right side of the box sailed over the goalkeeper and into the net.

The 3-3 score lasted until the 57:22 mark, when Dubuque netted what proved to be the game-winner.

The Foresters out-shot their guests 10-8 in the contest and put seven of those attempts on target to the visitors' five. The Spartans accounted for four of the game's seven corner kicks.

Lake Forest is now 0-1-1 and Dubuque 2-0-0 this season.

The Foresters will travel to Aurora University for another non-conference contest at 7:00 p.m.