NORTON, Mass. – Junior attacker Avonlea LeBeau (North Branford, Conn.) netted five goals and sophomore attacker Lara Finnie (Westfield, Mass.) tallied five points, including four goals to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) women's lacrosse team over visiting Bridgewater State University today in the season opener for both teams at Nordin Field on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass. 

The Lyons improve to 1-0 on the season, while the Bears fall to 0-1.

Despite being outshot by Bridgewater State, 32-26 for the game, Wheaton was able to outscore its guests in every quarter. The Lyons made the most of their free position opportunities, scoring four times on five attempts, while the Bears were 1-8 in free position attempts. 

LeBeau added seven draw controls and a pair of ground balls to her goal total for Wheaton, while Finnie picked up a pair of ground balls, won a pair of draws and caused a turnover. Senior attacker Brooke Harvey (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) registered five points as well with two goals and three assists to go with four draw controls and a ground ball. Sophomore attacker Sophie Gromala (Killingworth, Conn.) recorded a career-high three points on two goals and an assist and added a ground ball. Sophomore defender Gabs Smart (Oakland, Maine) notched a pair of caused turnovers and senior goalie Emily Oundjian (Longmeadow, Mass.) was outstanding with 13 saves.

Sophomore Erin McIntyre (Tewksbury, Mass.) and sophomore attacker Camryn Gonsalves (East Bridgewater, Mass.) each netted a pair of goals to lead the Bridgewater State offense. McIntyre registered a game-high nine draw controls and picked up a ground ball, while Gonsalves came up with a ground ball. Junior attacker Savannah Herrington (Kinnelon, N.J.) recorded two points with a goal and an assist, while senior midfielder Katie O'Brien (Pembroke, Mass.) and graduate student middie Delaney Langton (Scituate, R.I.) each found the back of the net for a goal. Graduate student attacker Katie Swart (Bridgewater, Mass.) was credited with a pair of caused turnovers for the Bears and senior goalie Olivia Kerrigan (Braintree, Mass.) stopped five of 20 shots in 58:44 of action.

The Lyons scored the first four goals of the game, including a pair from LeBeau to take a 4-0 lead with 5:29 to play in the opening quarter. Herrington got Bridgewater State on the board with an unassisted goal coming just 41 seconds after Wheaton's fourth goal to cut the deficit to 4-1 with 4:48 left in the quarter.

The Bears scored three of the first four goals to open the second quarter, including two from McIntyre, to close within 5-4 with 8:48 showing on the second quarter clock. It was as close as they would get or the remainder of the contest.

The Lyons finished out the half with four unanswered markers, including two more from LeBeau, to take a 9-4 advantage into the intermission.

Gonsalves tallied the first score of the third quarter coming just 1:34 into the new period to pull Bridgewater State to 9-5. Finnie scored the final two goals of the quarter, including an advantage marker, to give Wheaton an 11-5 cushion heading into the final quarter. 

The Bears bookended five goals from the Lyons in the final period. O'Brien found the back of the net just 53 ticks in the quarter to make it 11-6, before five different Wheaton players notched a goal, including the first collegiate marker for first year attacker Jessica Chamberlin (Bow, N.H.), to give the home team a 16-6 margin with 2:34 remaining in the contest. Langton scored the last goal of the day for Bridgewater State to set the final at 16-7.

The Lyons return to action on Saturday, February 25 when they host Salve Regina University at 12:00 p.m. at Nordin Field, while the Bears host United States Coast Guard Academy on the same day at 1:00 p.m.