MANSFIELD, Conn. –Based upon an admittedly small sample size – exactly one match – the Eastern Connecticut State University women's lacrosse program may be in for a resurrence in 2016.

In the season-opener for both programs Thursday afternoon at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex, Eastern played Springfield College to a standoff after falling behind by four goals after 13 minutes, eventually dropping a 15-11 non-conference decision.

Coming off back-to-back season-opening losses to Springfield by a losing margin of 35-2, Eastern never led Thursday but was never completely out of contention in losing to the Pride for the fourth straight season after winning the first two in this series.

With both teams returning a solid nucleus from a year ago when Springfield set a program record with 15 victories and Eastern equaled its second-most losses in program history (12), the Warriors split the final 20 goals of the match with Springfield Thursday, actually amassing a 7-5 advantage in goals over the final 23 minutes.

Trailing 15-7, Eastern got a goal from four different players over the final six minutes, cutting what was once a seven-goal deficit to the final four-goal margin on strikes by sophomores Maggie Bodington (Stratford) and Katie Burke (South Windsor) and juniors Paige Schneider (East Lyme) and junior Caroline Regan (Niantic).

Following Regan's goal which came with 1:20 left and sliced Springfield's lead to four, Eastern won the ensuing draw but Springfield junior goalie Gabriella Anderson (Mahopac, NY) made her third and final save on an attempt by Eastern junior Devyne Doran (South Kingstown, RI) to seal the Springfield win.

Springfield, last year's New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) regular-season champion, won the game by scoring more than half of their goals on free-position attempts. Senior Heather Raniolo was 4-of-6 on those attempts and Springfield was 8-of-11 as a team. Eastern took only one free-position shot, Schneider connecting early in the second half.

Raniolo and Eastern's Schneider each had four goals to lead their teams. Schneider converted all of her offensive opportunities.

Eastern senior Tess Mraz (Fairfield) followed Schneider with three goals (on four shots), and Burke shared game-high honors with Springfield sophomore Shelby Corsano (Bourne, MA), with five points. Burke had a pair of goals and three assists and Corsano three goals and two assists.

Springfield sophomore Ann Mahoney dominated play by winning four of her team's 18 draws and picking up five ground balls, with Corsano complementing her five points by winning four draws and picking up four ground balls.

Eastern junior goalie Taylor Emmerson (Colchester) made eight saves and led all players with seven ground balls. Regan won five ground balls and caused three turnovers, with Doran winning four of Eastern's ten draws.

Eastern hosts the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Saturday at noon.