BALTIMORE, Md. — Junior Alexis Jones scored her third goal of the season on Sunday as the Vixens were edged 2-1 by host Notre Dame (Md.) at Alumnae Field.
 
Sweet Briar (2-6) junior goalkeeper Rosemary Austin jumped into action in the fourth minute making her first save of the afternoon to deny Hailey Lockard of a scoring opportunity.
 
The Gators (4-6) opened the scoring in the ninth minute, when Vanessa Dunn assisted on a Maia Giafes goal.
 
Austin notched a second save in the opening period, before rattling off four saves to open up the second period of play.
 
Notre Dame (Md.) got the game winner in the 25th minute when Lockard scored an unassisted goal.
 
The Vixens would answer just before the halftime whistle, when Jones (Suffolk, Va.) scored with eight seconds remaining in the opening half.
 
The second half saw the Vixens attack first, with first-year Bella Fennell (South Toms River, N.J.) seeing her shot in the 39th minute saved by the Gators' Fallon Katz. Fennell's shot was the only shot for either team in the third period, with Jones firing off the Vixens' lone shot in the fourth period when Katz stopped her try in the 49th minute.
 
Austin notched two additional saves to close out the final period of play in Baltimore.
 
Austin finished the day with eight saves, while Jones recorded a team-high two shots on the afternoon.
 
The Vixens have a quick turnaround before their next game, visiting Eastern Mennonite on October 1 at 7 p.m.