Lourdes began Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference action on Saturday morning, dropping a 20-11 decision to sixth-ranked Aquinas at Timberstone Junior High School.
 
Kalani Hale (Chesterton, W. Va./Capital H.S.) started the scoring, putting the Gray Wolves in front less than five minutes into the game.  Lourdes stayed close throughout the first quarter as Aquinas scored the final two tallies of the frame to take a 2-1 lead after 15 minutes.
 
The Saints increased their lead to 4-1 before Caden Louthan (Dripping Springs, Texas/Dripping Springs H.S.) stopped the run, making it a 4-2 game with just under seven minutes remaining before halftime.  Aquinas would go on another late run though, scoring seven times in the final six minutes to build an 11-2 edge at the break.
 
After the lead grew to 13-2, Lourdes scored three straight goals in less than two minutes midway through the third.  Another three straight goals before the end of the quarter pulled the Gray Wolves within seven, 16-9, heading into the final stanza.
 
Aquinas would score the first four goals of the final frame before Lourdes scored twice in the final minute.
 
Louthan finished with three goals and an assist while Hale also had three tallies for the Gray Wolves.  Hayden Barber (Temperance, Mich./Bedford H.S.) and Darin Briscoe (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Kingston College) each added two goals while Gavin Conley (Hanover, Ohio/Licking Valley H.S.) had the other.
 
Jack Durham (Zeeland, Mich./East H.S.) had nine ground balls for the Gray Wolves while Dique Reid (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East H.S.) added eight more while winning 18-of-28 faceoffs.  In goal, Xander Slate (Stockton, Calif./Saint Mary's H.S.) had 16 saves.
 
Cooper Nienhuis scored eight times and had three assists to lead the Aquinas (5-0, 1-0 WHAC) offense.
 
Lourdes (3-2, 0-1) takes to the road on Wednesday evening as the Gray Wolves head to Dearborn Heights, Mich. to face Michigan-Dearborn.  The opening faceoff is set for 7 p.m. at Crestwood High School.