PITTSBURGH, Penn. – Neither team held more than a one-goal lead in the opening night nine total goal slugfest. Despite four different LMU goal scorers, the Lions (0-1-0) dropped their first game of the season, 5-4, on the road at Pittsburgh (1-0-0).
 
The Panthers capitalized on a free kick in the 12^thminute to go ahead early in the game. Athalie Polomo curved the ball into the upper stretch of goal past the outstretched arms of LMU goalkeeper Lee Erickson to put the Lions down a goal early.
 
The response came 10 minutes later as Simone Handy finished a ball played across the box from Gabbie Sanfilippo to even the score.

Handy played a role in the second goal as well, playing a ball to Ali King for the 30^thminute go-ahead header to take the Lions into intermission with a lead.
 
A quick response by the home side out of the break evened the score at two-all just two minutes and ten seconds into the second half.
 
LMU again proved to have an answer, with Jackie Fiacco scoring a volley from the top of the box to beat the Pitt keeper in the 62^ndminute.
 
A converted penalty kick less than four minutes later tied the score once again, making it a 3-3 game.
 
With just over 20 minutes to play, LMU went ahead for the third time, with Maki Kono scoring from 25 yards out to beat the goalkeeper just under the crossbar.
 
As the clock clicked into the final stretch of the game, Pitt was able to find their third equalizer of the day to make it a 4-all in the 82^ndminute.
 
Pittsburgh's Amanda West completed her team's comeback with her third goal of the day in the 84^thminute to give the Panthers a 5-4 lead that would hold until the final whistle.
 
Erickson played a full 90 minutes in goal, making one save on 11 faced shots. The Lions, on the other hand, saw eight of their 14 shots go on goal. LMU also accounted for both of the game's corner kicks.
 
The Lions will have a quick turnaround in an attempt to earn a split on the opening road trip with an early game Sunday at Duquesne. The game will kick off at noon in Pittsburgh (9 a.m. PST), and be available to stream on ESPN+.