Youngstown, Ohio - Freshman Lena Cox scored five goals in the second half to spearhead a comeback attempt by the Youngstown State lacrosse team that fell just short in a 16-15 loss to Mid-American Conference preseason favorite, Kent State, at Farmers National Bank Field on Sunday.

The Penguins open MAC play with an 0-1 record and move to 0-8 overall. Kent State improves to 4-6 on the season with a 1-0 conference record.

Cox scored career-highs of five goals and six points while two other freshman also recorded hat tricks, Katie Grottenthaler and Ava Kreutzer. Ally Garrett found the back of the net twice while Grace Rund and Aryn Lohrey each scored once, this marking Lohrey's first career goal.

Freshman goalie Paige Borkowski made 11 saves on the day while giving up 16 shots for a .407 save percentage. Mia Stahl and Tyler Smith led YSU with three draw controls a piece while Dany Emler grabbed two ground balls and caused two turnovers.

Kent State's Jackie Wolford scored five goals and made two assists for seven points to lead the Golden Flashes offensive effort.

After entering the third quarter down 12-7, YSU outscored the Golden Flashes, 8-4, in the second half beginning with Cox's first goal of the game at the 13:55 mark of the third quarter. 

Kreutzer then scored back-to-back goals before Grottenthaler completed a hat trick to make it four straight for the Penguins. The run cut Kent State's lead to two, 12-10, at the 4:25 mark of the third quarter. One of Kreutzer's goals was assisted by Smith, who recorded her first point of the season, while the other was assisted by Cox to give her six points in one half of play.

The Penguins went goal-for-goal with Kent State well into the fourth quarter with Cox's second goal of the day sandwiched between two Golden Flashes' scores, making the score 14-12.

Cox then scored three straight goals in less than two minutes of play to give the Penguins a 15-14 lead with 2:49 to play in the game. Kent State would go on to score the final two goals of the game to defeat the Penguins 16-15.

Back in the first half, the Penguins struck first when Garrett scored at the 13:20 mark of the first quarter off an assist from Kayla Stecker, which marked her first career point. Kent State scored two in a row before Kreutzer found the back of the net for her first of three times to make the score 2-2 at the 9:05 mark of the first quarter.

Kent State closed out the quarter with five straight goals to make the score 7-2 after 15 minutes of play.

YSU and Kent State were an even 5-5 in the second quarter with Garrett, Rund, Lohrey. And Grottenthaler (2) finding the back of the net, all unassisted. The Penguins entered halftime down 12-7 before nearly completing a comeback in the second half.

Kent State outdrew the Penguins 21-13 in the game, but the Penguins recorded more draw controls in the second half, 7-6. 

Youngstown State will return to the road for three straight games as they travel to face non-conference opponent Lindenwood in St. Charles, Mo. on Wednesday afternoon. First draw is set for 1 p.m. Eastern at Hunter Stadium.