MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Marisa Yang converted a penalty kick with three minutes left to lift the Wesleyan University women's soccer team to its first win of the year – a 2-1 non-conference victory over Eastern Connecticut State University Tuesday afternoon at Jackson Field.

At right: Taylor Shannon (21) was one of just four upperclassmen in Eastern's starting lineup Tuesday. (Photo by Liam Murphy)

Freshman Emily Becher (Brooklyn) scored her team-leading fourth goal of the year on the first career assist from freshman Nikki Basilicato (Guilford) six minutes into the second half to pull Eastern (4-3-1) even, but Yang beat Eastern junior keeper Rachel Skelton (East Lyme) with a penalty kick after the Warriors were whistled for a foul in the box.

Eastern outshot Wesleyan (1-5-1) 9-3 but trailed at the half thanks to Wesleyan sophomore Tess Daggett-Edenholm's second goal of the season 13 minutes before the half. The Warriors unloaded six of their nine first-half shots and both of their first-half corner kicks before Wesleyan managed its first shot 15 minutes into action.

In her first start of the year, Wesleyan junior Rachel Hobert made seven saves and was credited with her first win. Skelton  made two saves over the final 45 minutes in place of frshman starter Katie Dadio (Hamden), who did not make a save in the first half.

Wesleyan, which had tied Tufts University (ranked fourth in New England) a week ago, is 2-0-1 against Eastern in the last three matches in the series.

Seven of Eastern's starters in the match were freshmen, who were joined in the starting lineup by seniors Taylor Shannon (Waterford) and Whitney Mantel (Stamford), junior Kaitlin Thibodeau (Tolland) and sophomore Hailey Lehning (Woodbury). The penalty-kick goal marked the first time this season that the Warriors have allowed more than one goal, with their opponents averaging only 0.75 goals per match.

Eastern hosts Keene State College Saturday at 1 p.m. in a re-match of last year's Little East Conference championship match, won by Keene, 1-0.