MIDDLETOWN, Conn. - The Bowdoin College women's lacrosse team jumped out to a 5-1 lead and never trailed in a 15-11 victory over Wesleyan University in their season-opener Saturday. The Polar Bears are ranked 19th in the latest Division III poll while the Cardinals fall to 2-1 this season.

The Polar Bears received hat tricks from junior Elizabeth Clegg, junior Chelsea Albright and sophomore Carolyn Gorajek in the win. Katy Dissinger had two goals and two assists for Bowdoin. Wesleyan's Jess Chukwu led all players with five goals in defeat.

With the score tied, 1-1, 10 minutes into first half, Albright netted her first goal of the contest on a soft, high bouncer to the left of junior goalie Maggie Drowica at the 19:14 mark to put Bowdoin ahead for good, 2-1.  The Polar Bears rattled off four straight for a 5-1 lead with 9:53 left and pushed the margin to 7-2 as Gorajek took a pass from senior Katy Dissinger and curled around the net on the right for her second goal of the contest.  With Bowdon up, 8-3, the Cardinals netted the final two goals of the period to cut the differential to 8-5 at halftime.  Chukwu completed a first-half hat trick with 1:01 left, taking a pass from over the net by senior Allie Lynch, and finished the game with five goals to lead Wesleyan.  Cardinal sophomore Kayla Ellman scored on a free-position shot with :01.7 remaining as the final goal of the first period.

A three-goal burst to start the second half upped Bowdoin's lead to a then-game-high six at 11-5 just 5:21 into the period.  Clegg began the second-half scoring off a free-position set, followed by junior Katie Herter on a run to the middle and Dissinger off a feed from over the net by Clegg.  Bowdoin's lead never fell below four the rest of the way and peaked at eight, 15-7, on Clegg's third of the game with 6:44 left.  The Cardinals netted the last four goals of the contest, two by Chukwu and two by sophomore Kaylin Berger.

Drowica ended the game with 15 saves as Bowdoin outshot Wesleyan, 38-21, for the game.  In the Bowdoin goal, sophomore Alexandra Brown collected five stops.