DURHAM, N.C. – Villanova softball suffered a loss in the first game of the weekend at the Duke Invitational, falling 8-1 to RV Boston University on Friday evening.

Tess Cites recorded a pair of hits including a solo home run in the first at bat of the game, while Kelsey White reached base three times for Villanova (3-6) on a single, walk and hit by pitch.

Caroline Pellicano received the loss after tossing four innings, surrendering five hits with a trio of scoreless frames. Freshman Maranda Runco made her debut in the circle, going two frames and facing 15 batters.

Cites began the game in a big way, taking the fifth pitch deep over the wall in center field to get her side up one on their first swing of the bat.

The Terriers answered back in their opening hacks, using a leadoff single and one-out double to knot the game up before another pair of base knocks got them ahead 3-1 after an inning.

Cites singled in her second plate appearance for another base hit, White laced a single into left field to kick off the fourth frame and Brooklyn Ostrowski did the same in the fifth, but Villanova could not cut into the deficit. 

BU added to the advantage in the fifth, using a throwing error, four singles and a double steal to plate five in the frame for a seven-run edge.

Runco delivered a scoreless sixth stanza, but the 'Cats couldn't do anything with it as a 1-2-3 seventh brought the visitors an 8-1 defeat.

UP NEXT: The 'Cats take on a top-10 squad on Friday evening, preparing for a bout with the weekend host No. 6 Duke Blue Devils.