NEW LONDON, Conn. – Four goals from junior midfielder Leila Kouakou helped the Mount Holyoke College lacrosse team to an 11-6 win over Coast Guard Academy in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Wednesday night. The win lifts the Lyons to 3-9 overall and 1-4 in the NEWMAC, while the Bears slip to 3-10 overall and 0-5 in conference action.

Kouakou had a game-high five points for Mount Holyoke with four goals and one assist. First year Mary LaVigne (New Milford, Conn./Canterbury School) and junior Kaitlin Braz (Tolland, Conn./East Catholic) had two goals each, while senior Charlotte Wagner (West Chester, Pa./Westtown School ) had two points with a goal and an assist.

Junior Daria McKenna had a team-high three points with two goals and an assist. First year Abigail Bradford, sophomore Carter Sanderson, junior Niki Kirchner-Hope and senior Cecelia Hosley each had a goal as well for Coast Guard.

The Lyons took a one goal lead 20 seconds into the game after a goal from Kouakou, but the Bears answered as Hosley scored at the 27:59 mark tying the game at one.

Mount Holyoke and Coast Guard traded goals once more before the Lyons scored four straight, including three consecutive off the stick of Kouakou to take a 5-2 lead with 19:12 left in the first half.

The Bears came within two once again scoring with just under 19 minutes to go in the period, but Mount Holyoke scored back-to-back goals pushing its lead to four at 7-3. McKenna ended the scoring in the first half for both teams with a free position goal with 15:48 to go in the opening period making the halftime score 7-4.

After Wagner started off the half for the Lyons with a free position goal, the Bears moved within two as McKenna and Kirchner-Hope tallied goals bringing the score to 8-6 with 24:28 to go in the game.

That would however be the final goals of the game for Coast Guard as Mount Holyoke played stingy defense down the stretch to keep the Bears off the board. The Lyons scored three more goals propelling MHC to its first NEWMAC win of the season.

Freshman Mia Wysocki (Longmeadow, Mass./Longmeadow) earned the win making four saves, while senior Isa Rodriguez (Columbus, Ohio/Westerville) played the second half making four saves.

Mount Holyoke will have a quick turnaround, hosting MIT on Friday at 4:00pm. The Bears are back in action this Saturday when it faces Wellesley on the road at 1:00pm.