HAINES CITY, Fla. -- Two newcomers ignited a late first-half run and the Eastern Connecticut State University women's lacrosse team led from start to finish in a 17-14 victory over Carroll University Wednesday at the Feltrim Sports Complex.

With its third win in five days and second in Florida, Eastern (4-0) is off to its best start in program history. Carroll (4-2) had a four-game winning streak ended.

The Warriors scored the first three goals of the match and moved out to a six-goal lead in the second quarter, five coming in the final eight minutes of the half to stake them to a 10-4 halftime lead.

With Eastern leading, 5-3, first-year players Aislin Tracey (Putnam) and Claire Riccitelli-Pestana (Wallingford) sparked a 5-1 scoring run over the final eight minutes of the half, which was punctuated by consecutive man-up goals from junior midfielder Caroline Stent (Weatogue) and sophomore Kaylee Drobish (Wallingford).

In the half, seven different players combined on the team's ten goals, three goals and an assist coming from junior Shay Ventresca (Oakdale) and two goals from Stent, who scored 56 goals in 15 matches in her first season at Eastern last year.

In the first half, the Eastern defense held Carroll scoring leader Katrina Hardin (24-6-3) without a shot and into three turnovers and drove Carroll starting goalie Alicia Van Dale from the net and ultimately, to her first loss in five decisions.

The Warriors also forced the Pioneers into 21 first-half turnovers and outshot them, 23-8.

Carroll bounced back in the second half, cutting the lead to four with nine minutes left and later to within three with six minutes remaining. Following the goal that made it 15-12, Stent won the ensuing draw and after Ventresca's shot was blocked, junior Chloe Miller (Avon) countered with her third goal of the match on an assist from Ventresca to restore a four-goal lead with just over five minutes left.

Carroll continued to press, however, cutting the Eastern lead to three with 2:15 remaining and had a chance to cut deeper into the Eastern lead after a ground ball pickup on an Eastern missed shot, but the Pioneers turned the ball over, Eastern cleared the zone, and Stent's six goal of the match on an assist from first-year midfielder Emma Oliano (Wallingford) made Carroll's final goal with three seconds left academic.

Stent led Eastern with six goals and won nine of the team's 20 draws, Ventresca adding three goals and two assists and Miller three goals. Senior Aiyana Ward (Waterbury) had three ground balls and two caused turnovers. Junior goallie Sarah Gallagher (South Windsor) made three saves to record her fourth straight win, and was removed briefly in favor of first-year goalie Emma Alford (West Hartford) in the fourth quarter.

Eastern led, 2-0, six minutes into the match which began at 2 p.m., but was postponed until 7 p.m. due to thunderstorms.

Eastern finished 9-6 last year under first-year head coach Dee Stephan while Carroll won 11 and lost 4 and qualified for the NCAA Division III tournament.

Eastern closes out its Florida trip at Division II Lynn University Saturday. The Fighting Knights (7-1) won their fourth straight match, 17-3, Wednesday against Palm Beach Atlantic.