The softball team played in its third and final tournament of the season last weekend in Clearwater, Fla. at the Under Armour Invitational hosted by the University of South Florida, where ‘Nova went 2-3.

In their opening game, the Wildcats fell to Boston University 5-3, as runs from sophomore Shannon O’Brien and senior Jess O’Boyle were not enough to push Villanova past the Terriers.

The ‘Cats seized an opportunity for redemption in their second matchup on Friday, dominating the University of Toledo and coming up with their first win of the weekend. O’Boyle was again a force on offense as she hit two home runs on the way to a 10-4 victory.

Villanova found success on day one, but its winning ways were short-lived as the ‘Cats dropped two straight games on Saturday.

In a hard-fought battle against Florida Gulf Coast, ‘Nova was defeated 15-8.

Several Wildcats recorded hits, and senior Danielle Maricle had three runs and two RBI. However, even these efforts, coupled with an impressive fourth-inning comeback, didn’t result in a win.

Later in the day, the ‘Cats continued to struggle against Radford University.

Sophomores Kristi Burlin and Molly Manning kept Villanova in the game, as Burlin put her team on the board and Manning did her part on the mound by striking out five Radford batters. Burlin’s run ended up the sole one for the ‘Cats, as they lost 3-1.

Heading into Sunday, Villanova looked to end the tournament on a positive note; another solid performance from Manning, along with a strong offensive showing, helped the ‘Cats do just that.

O’Brien, junior Stephanie Zrebiec and sophomore Jamie O’Hara all scored as ‘Nova beat UT-Chattanooga 3-1 and clinched its second win of the invitational.The softball team now stands at 5-10 and will look to improve its record starting at La Salle on March 23.