DU’s women’s lacrosse team kicked off their 2020 season at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium on Saturday with a game against the Stanford Cardinal. Denver’s dominance in the first half helped pave the way to a 17-13 victory for the No. 10 Pioneers.

The Pioneers wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, with a goal from junior attack Eliza Radochonski (Englewood, Colo.) less than a minute into the game. Three different Pioneers had goals shortly thereafter to give Denver a 4-1 early lead. Stanford was able to respond with a few goals of their own, cutting the Pioneers’ lead to just two goals with 16:34 remaining in the first half. Denver then went on a six-goal rout to close the half with a 12-5 lead, capped off with a goal from junior attack Bea Behrins, (Basking Ridge, N.J.) who completed a hat trick with the goal. Junior attack Quintin Hoch-Bullen (Orillia, Ontario) had a game-high six goals, five of which came in the first half. Freshman midfielder Julia Gilbert (McLean, Va.) had her first career goal at 13:27.

Stanford gave Denver a run for their money in the second half, scoring first, but lost their momentum with three straight goals from Denver. With 14:53 remaining, junior midfielder Caroline Wiseman (Alexandria, Va.) found junior attack Hannah Liddy (Westfield, N.J.) to send a striker into the back of the net, extending DU’s lead to eight points. The goal secured a hat trick for Liddy. Stanford surged in the late minutes of the half with four unanswered goals, but Denver was able to hang on for the win.

Senior goalkeeper Carson Gregg (Severna Park, Md.) gathered 14 saves in the game to the 13 goals scored on her.

The Pioneers will head to Louisville, Ky. this weekend to play the unranked University of Louisville.