The Western Bulldogs fought hard but fell to the Box Hill Hawks by 35 points in VFLW Round 6 at Box Hill City Oval.

The Bulldogs got off to a bright start, with Renee Saulitis kicking the opening goal to build early momentum.

They dominated the first quarter, heading into the break with a 13-point lead, but the middle stages saw a tightly contested battle.

Isabel Young worked tirelessly through the midfield, keeping the Bulldogs in the contest as Box Hill tried to pull away.

After half time, the Bulldogs lifted their intensity, consistently pressuring the Hawks’ defence.

Despite strong forward entries, the Bulldogs struggled to convert their opportunities into goals.

While the Bulldogs fought hard until the final siren, the Hawks maintained control of the scoreboard to secure the win.

Despite the loss, several Bulldogs stood out.

Renee Saulitis kicked two goals, while Isabel Young added one goal and two behinds.

Zara Hamilton was clean and effective with 19 disposals and six marks, and Jaimi Tabb showed great intensity with nine tackles.

Leah Swain also impressed in the ruck, finishing with 20 hit-outs.

The Bulldogs will aim to bounce back when they take on Williamstown at DSV Stadium in Round 7 on Sunday 1 June, kicking off at 9:35am AEST.

Western Bulldogs 2.2 2.2 2.4 3.4 (22)

Box Hill Hawks 0.1 0.6 2.8 8.8 (56)

Goals: Saulitis (2), Young (1).