SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – The last time the Eastern Connecticut State University and Mount Holyoke College women's lacrosse team met at the MHC Turf Field in 2019, the hosts put the game away early with six goals in the first three minutes of a 16-goal victory.
 
Saturday, Eastern turned the tables, with six different players contributing a goal or assist in an opening 6-0 run that propelled the Warriors to a six-goal lead five minutes into play and an eventual 19-7 non-conference victory over the Lyons.
 
Eastern (2-0) led 14-4 at halftime and although no current players or coaches remain from that 2019 debacle, the Warriors went on to erase the memories of that lopsided loss against the Lyons, who were playing their season-opener after several scheduled games had been postponed.
 
Junior attack Chloe Miller (Avon) and junior midfielder Caroline Stent (Weatogue) combined for nine goals and four assists and six additional players chipped in a goal and/or an assist. First-year midfielder Aislin Tracey (Putnam) staked the Warriors to a quick 2-0 lead with her first two career goals, and after first-year midfielder player Emma Oliano (Wallingford) made it 3-0, Miller potted three goals in less than a minute to complete the early explosion.
 
Miller had five goals and seven points and Stent four goals and six points and won eight draws. Junior attack Shay Ventresca (Oakdale) had a goal and four assists for Eastern, which outshot the hosts, 44-19. Oliano won four draws, as did junior defender Mackenzie Shrewsbury (Sprague) off the bench.
 
Eastern opens its home season Saturday hosting Skidmore College in a non-conference match at Rick McCarthy Field at noon. The Thoroughbreds took a 16-11 decision in the first meeting between the clubs a year ago at Wachenheim Field on the Skidmore campus, handing the Warriors their first loss after three opening wins.