WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Led by three performances of four individual goals or more, the Pacific women's lacrosse team fought off a late comeback by Whitman to defeat the Missionaries 15-13 at the Whitman Athletic Fields on Sunday.
 
The Boxers got the scoring started early as April Lanz (So., Oregon City, Ore.) scored off an assist from Brittney Bardin (So., Albany, Ore.) less than 20 seconds into the game.
 
Mahea Wong (Jr., Lake Stevens, Wash.) extended Pacific's lead with 24:27 left in the first period on her fifth goal of the season.
 
Pacific netted a third-straight goal at 22:38 on Lanz's second tally, which was assisted by Nicki Leeming (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.). Whitman stopped the Pacific fun as Lucy Skugstad netted the Missionaries first goal with 21:13 left in the period.
 
After Lanz controlled the ensuing draw, Meg Chapman (So., Woodinville, Wash.) earned herself a free position shot and scored the fourth Boxer goal of the day. The Missionaries made it 4-2 Pacific on a goal by Bea Sheffer two minutes after Chapman's tally, before Amy Mayhugh (Sr., Tigard, Ore.) struck for her first goal of the day.
 
The Missionaries netted two-straight goals, but after controlling the next draw Chapman went straight to the cage and stopped the bleeding by putting the Boxers ahead 7-4.
 
Again the Missionaries rolled two goals in to pull within a goal of the visitors, but Mayhugh netted her second of the half with 7:29. Mayhugh's goal set the Boxers on a four-goal run as Lanz, Paisley Hiefield (So., Portland, Ore.) and Chapman all added goals to put the Boxers ahead 11-7.
 
Sheffer netted the Missionaries final goal of the half as the two teams entered the break with Pacific up 11-8.
 
Sheffer and Hannah Trettenero scored the first two goals of the second period before back-to-back score from Mayhugh.
 
With 9:02 left in regulation, Whitman pulled within three on another Sheffer goal, before Lanz scored her fourth of the day. Skugstad tallied her third of the game with 5:10 on the clock to cut the Boxers advantage down to three.
 
The final Pacific goal came at 2:18 when Mayhugh scored her fifth goal of the afternoon. Whitman struck for two final goals in the last two minutes of regulation, before the Boxers escaped with a 15-13 victory.
 
Mayhugh led the Boxers with five goals, while Chapman tallied four goals and also picked up a team-high six ground balls. Lanz finished the day with four goals, two assists and six draw controls.
 
Adrienne Salzwedel (So., Beaverton, Ore.) recorded six saves in goal.
 
Pacific plays host to George Fox on Thursday evening as the Bruins and Boxers are set for a 6 p.m. first draw.