NEW LONDON, Conn. – In her first career start, freshman goalie Rebecca Dolan made only four saves on Eastern Connecticut State University's 17 shots which reached net, but was supported by the U.S. Coast Guard Academy's 31 shots on goal as the Bears defeated the Warriors, 17-13, in the women's lacrosse season-opener for both teams Saturday at Cadet Memorial Field.

Coast Guard outscored Eastern 10-6 in the second half after the teams played to a halftime draw to defeat the Warriors for the first time in four meetings all-time. Eastern had beaten the Bears by a combined 27-6 the last two years, but more than half of Coast Guard's 2018 roster is comprised of freshman. The Bears were a combined 9-38 through their first three seasons on the intercollegiate level.

The Warriors held slim margins throughout much of the first half and by three midway through the half, but Coast Guard broke the fifth and final tie with a pair of unassisted goals by freshman Luisa Santos and senior Daria McKenna a minute apart to take the lead for good, 11-9, 12 minutes into the second half.

In her first career start, Eastern junior Jessica Purick (Riverhead, NY) stopped 14 shots.

Sophomore Alyssa Powers (Ellington) had a hand in eight of Eastern's goals by scoring five and assisting on three, with junior Michelina Pinto (Groton) contributing to seven goals by assisting on five and scoring two, and senior Maggie Bodington (Stratford) and sophomore transfer Tristan Kijak (Windsor) each scoring a pair. The goals were the first in the career of Kijak, who played soccer last year at Union College. She also picked up six ground balls and won five of the team's nine draws, with Bodington winning four draws and seniors Allison Wylie (Ellington) and Taylor Behn (Amherst, NH) each causing three turnovers.

Eastern visits Springfield College Wednesday at 4 p.m.