By: Ryan Lackey

WALLA WALLA, Wash. --- Although the Whitman Missionaries held their own in the first half, the Bruins scored in bunches and held off a late surge to record their sixth victory of the year on Monday, 15-9.

Leading scorer Miranda Edwords put in four goals, upping her total to 28, though center Mikaela Easterlin was the Bruins' most efficient player, scoring her three goals with just three shots.

Ashlie Hernandez and Jessica Adrian also scored thrice, and Rachel Gibbs and Alexa Nakashimada both added one each. Goalkeeper Kaylee Kolin, who earned her sixth win, was in fine form, making ten saves.

Whitman's Anna Melville opened the scoring just fifteen seconds in, sneaking a low shot past Kolin, but Adrian's first goal seconds later evened the game. Both teams traded a goal before Hernandez and Edwords scored in quick succession to put the Bruins up, 4-2.

Emily Jordan finished a nifty pass from Melville to bring the Missionaries within one, but three rapid-fire goals from Nakashimada, Hernandez, and Adrian meant the Bruins entered halftime with a comfortable 7-3 lead.

After a laggard start to the second period of play, the Bruins suddenly jumped alive. Easterlin scored a beautifully unassisted goal, and then Edwords bagged two goals in forty-five seconds. Trailing 10-3, the Missionaries pulled one back when Bea Sheffer twisted inside and slotted home from close range. In response, Gibbs made a long, dogged run and slung in her second goal.

Melville scored again a minute later, but Easterlin and Edwords immediately took control, combining for another three goals, all unassisted. Jessica Adrian converted a free position shot to give the Bruins a 15-5 lead, their largest of the day.

With fifteen minutes remaining, Whitman attempted an improbable comeback. Hannah Trettenero and Sheffer alternated to score four more goals for the Missionaries, but the Bruin defense was relatively untroubled and saw the game out for a 15-9 final score.

The Bruins reach 6-1 this year with the win and remain undefeated in Northwest Conference play. They travel to Calvin on Wednesday with a chance to win two in a row.