FREDERICK, Md.--Junior Brandy Noel scored the game-winning goal with 25 seconds left to propel the Hood College women's lacrosse team (1-0, 1-0 CAC) to a dramatic 14-13 victory over Capital Athletic Conference rival Wesley College (0-1, 0-1 CAC) Friday afternoon in the season opener for both schools.

Noel scored her fourth goal of the contest in the closing seconds to give Hood its first-ever CAC triumph in its second season in the league. After a winless CAC campaign in 2008, the Blazers got off to a strong start by avenging a 15-4 loss to the Wolverines from last season.

After Wesley scored two goals in the first five minutes of the game, Hood ripped off seven consecutive scores, including three straight by sophomore Kelsey Blackwell, to take a 7-2 lead with 11:11 left in the half. Wesley countered with three goals by three different players and cut the deficit to 7-5 at halftime.

Blackwell and Lauren Perzan scored back-to-back goals for Hood to start the second half. But the Wolverines closed to within 9-8 less than three minutes later. After Noel and Sarah Balukoff notched consecutive tallies to boost the Blazer lead back to 11-8, Wesley scored four of the next five goals to tie the score at 12-12 with seven minutes remaining in regulation. Amanda Browning scored the game-tying goal on a free position shot.

Wesley won the ensuing draw and over the next several minutes peppered freshman keeper Sam Liptrap with five straight shots. Liptrap denied four of the five shot attempts and the fifth ricocheted off the pipe. But the Wolverines finally broke through when Jade Martin scored her third goal of the game with 3:56 to play to give the Wolverines their first lead (13-12) since early in the first half.

Hood called a timeout following Martin's goal and Katie Vu won the next draw for Hood. But Wesley's Nora Gallagher checked the ball out of Vu's stick and Martin came up with the loose ball for the Wolverines. Looking to play keep-away, the Wolverines worked the ball around the net for the next several minutes. The Blazers' aggressive defense finally forced a Wolverine turnover near midfield with 41 seconds left. Perzan scooped up the loose ball and raced to the cage for her second score of the afternoon to knot the score at 13-13.

After a Wesley timeout, Hood freshman Julia Banks controlled the draw and launched the ball quickly to Noel who connected on the game-winning score with 25 ticks left on the clock.

The Wolverines still had time to net the game-tying goal, but Vu won the next draw and the Blazers ran out the clock to escape with the victory.

Blackwell and Noel finished with four goals apiece while Perzan had a pair. Britney Colandreo, Jen Graham, Vu and Balukoff added one goal apiece for Hood.

Katelyn Randes paced the Wolverines with four goals while Martin tallied three and Alyssa Prudente scored twice.

Liptrap registered her first career victory in goal and made 14 saves. Farryn Kauffman turned away 12 shots in defeat.

The Blazers return to action Sunday hosting No. 3 Salisbury University at noon.