NORTON, Mass. -- First year midfielder Lara Finnie (Westfield, Mass.) tallied a career-high eight points, including five goals, to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) women's lacrosse team over visiting Clark University, 22-2, this afternoon in the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference season opener on Nordin Field on the campus of Wheaton in Norton, Mass. The Lyons win their fifth straight game to improve to 5-1 overall and 1-0 in league play, while the Cougars fall to 1-3 and 0-1.

Wheaton's dominant effort on both sides of the field led to its largest margin of victory since March 26, 2005 when it defeated Smith College, 24-4. The 22 goals represents the fifth-highest total in a game in school history for the Lyons.

Wheaton outshot Clark, 32-9, while forcing its guests into 29 turnovers. The Lyons also converted 7-10 free position opportunities. Wheaton's defense held the Cougars without a goal for the first 30:17 of the contest, including the entire first half, while the Wheaton offense scored 12 unanswered markers to begin the game and take a 12-0 lead at halftime.

Finnie's eight points are the most by a Lyons' first year since Charlotte De Santis racked up eight points on seven goals and an assist to open the 2011 season on March 5 at Salve Regina University. Finnie also added a ground ball and a pair of draw controls. Sophomore attacker Avonlea LeBeau (North Branford, Conn.) scored four goals, picked up a pair of ground balls and caused two turnovers, while sophomore attacker Emily Laframboise (Cornwall, Vt.) recorded four points on three goals and an assist to go with a ground ball. First year middie Gabriella Smart (Oakland, Maine) and senior midfielder Darien Webb (Hamden, Conn.) each posted four-point days with two goals and two assists apiece. Smart also came up with a career-high five ground balls and two draw controls and Webb picked up a ground ball and added a pair of draw controls. Senior midfielder Adeline Paradis (Saco, Maine) helped the defense with three ground balls and three caused turnovers. Junior goalie Emily Oundjian (Longmeadow, Mass.) stopped all four shots she faced in the first half, before yielding to classmate Emily Kelly (Norwell, Mass.), who turned away one of three shots in the second session.

Sophomore defender Claudia Oakleaf (Westford, Mass.) netted both of Clark's goals on three shots and added a pair of ground balls and two draw controls. Senior midfielder Sophie Phelan (Westport, Conn.) led the visitors' defensive effort with four ground balls and a game-high four caused turnovers. Junior goalie Maddie Conners (Devon, Pa.) turned back six of 22 shots in 46:53 of action, before senior Grace Sawyer (Windham, Maine) was in net for Wheaton's last six goals in a span of 13:07.

Finnie and LeBeau each scored three times during Wheaton's opening run and Smart capped the explosive first half with a pair of markers. Junior midfielder Brooke Harvey (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) registered all four of her assists during the opening half for the Lyons.

Oakleaf converted a feed from junior midfielder Kiley Simmons (Atkinson, N.H.) to put the Cougars on the board just 17 seconds into the third quarter. 

Wheaton responded with six straight goals, including two from Laframboise and the first two collegiate goals of sophomore attacker Aislynne Torres' (Lawrence, Mass.) career, to give the Lyons an 18-1 advantage with 11:40 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Sophomore Jacqueline Faulise (North Kingston, Mass.) found Oakleaf for her second marker of the afternoon for Clark to make it 18-2 at the 9:53 mark of the quarter. Wheaton scored the final four goals of the match for the victory.

The Lyons return to action on Wednesday, March 23 when they host Framingham State University on Nordin Field at 7:00 p.m., while the Cougars host Curry College on the same day and time.