DAVIS – The California lacrosse team secured its first win of the season by defeating UC Davis 15-14 on the road Saturday afternoon.

Senior midfielder Kennedy Mason led the Golden Bears with a game-high of six goals, along with two apiece by Annette Ciupek and Courtney Wong.

Mason scored her first two goals within the first six minutes of the game. Josie Lillquist and Ashleigh Masterson also found the back of the net early to put Cal up 4-1, but the Aggies went on a 4-0 run to take a 5-4 lead at the end of the period.

Ciupek tied it at 5-5 midway through the second period while Cal's defense settled in, keeping the Aggies scoreless for the first nine and a half minutes. The teams traded three goals apiece over the final five and a half minutes of the half, including a free-position goal by Wong that tied it 8-8 with three seconds left.

Knotted 10-10 at the start of the fourth period, Mason scored her fifth of six goals on an assist from Wong with 11:38 remaining. UC Davis responded less than a minute later, but it was Avery Hoeft – on an assist from Mason – who put Cal ahead for good with 8:53 to go. Emily Moes, Mason and Wong scored the Bears' final three goals before they withstood a late rally by the Aggies in the final minute.

Three freshmen – Willow Cyr, Dahlen Vilbrandt, and Ashleigh Masterson – made their Cal debuts. Masterson scored her first career goal in the first period. 

Cal head coach Jennifer Wong won her third consecutive season opener, the first coach in program history to do so.

Cal will play its home opener against USC next Friday at 3 p.m. PT at California Memorial Stadium.