New Rochelle, N.Y. – Villanova kicked off the 2019 season on Sunday afternoon, dropping the first game to Harvard 20-12 and the second to Iona 10-7.
 
#18 Harvard
The Wildcats fell to the ranked Crimson to open the season. Kaysie Stuba and Charlotte Curran each scored two goals in the first period to keep Villanova in striking distance down 6-4. The Cats then got outscored 7-2 in the second quarter to make it a 13-6 game going into halftime. Villanova made a run in the third quarter getting goals from Malia Gacutan, Kate Stenmoen, along with another goal each from Stuba and Curran but still trailed 17-10. Kate Murray and Gacutan each scored in the fourth but it was not enough to overcome the deficit as Villanova fell 20-12.
 
Iona
After falling to Harvard 10-7 earlier in the day, Iona edged Villanova by the same score, 10-7. Iona got on the board just over a minute into the game to lead 1-0. Villanova answered by a goal from Kaysie Stuba. Iona scored the next two goals before Kate Stenmoen scored her third and fourth goals of the season making it a 3-3 game. Iona then rallied off the next three goals before once again, Stenmoen had two unanswered to make it a 6-5 game. Stuba kept the Cats in it as they trailed just 9-7 going into the fourth quarter, however Villanova could not get the ball behind the Gaels goalkeeper and fell to the Gaels 10-7.
 
Villanova will be back in the pool on February 9^thin Princeton, N.J. as they take on Brown at 11:30 A.M. and George Washington at 4:30 P.M.