HARTSVILLE, S.C. – Colorado State University women's lacrosse opened its 2026 season here Thursday afternoon with a dominant second half performance to earn an 18-11 win over Coker at the Coker Athletic Field on the first game of three-game trip road trip in the Palmetto State.

With the win, the ThunderWolves open the season with a victory for the first time since posting a 17-7 win at Maryville University in St. Louis, Mo., to open the 2021 season, while Coker falls to 1-3 on the season.

"What a great way to start a season. We played as a team all over the field," CSU Pueblo head coach Taylor Ward said following the game. "It's an awesome way to set the tone for the season."

In a game that was tied midway through the third period, the ThunderWolves broke things open with an 11–4 scoring advantage over the final 30 minutes behind a career-high eight points on five goals and three assists from sophomore attacker Emily Doane (Lake Forest, Calif./El Toro).

In addition to Doane, junior midfielder Reese Wasmund (Portland, Ore./West Linn) and freshman midfielder Ainsley Jackson (Anaheim, Calif./Canyon) each had three goals, while junior midfielder Sophia Rinn (Eagle, Colo./Eagle Valley) and redshirt freshman midfielder Senna Rinn (Eagle, Colo./Eagle Valley) each had two goals in the win.

CSU Pueblo struck first just 30 seconds into the opening period when Wasmund converted a man-up opportunity off a feed from Doane to give the Pack a 1-0 lead.

Doane doubled the advantage less than a minute later with an unassisted goal, but the Cobras responded with three consecutive goals – including two from Mia MacMillian – to take a 3-2 lead at the end of the first period.

The Pack answered in the second period behind a balanced offensive effort as Jackson opened the scoring in the frame with a free-position goal, before Doane assisted on a strike from sophomore midfielder Syndey Gunnels (Dallas, Texas/Coppell) to give the Pack a 4-3 lead.

An unassisted goal by Sophia Rinn extended the lead to 5–3 before Coker briefly cut the margin to one midway through the period.

The Pack closed the half with two goals in the final three minutes from Wasmund and freshman attacker Chloe Mora (Newport Beach, Calif./Orange Lutheran) to take a 7-5 lead at the half.
Coker rallied early in the third period, getting back-to-back goals from Kate Halcro and Grace Miranda to tie the game at 7-7 with 11:08 remaining.

The ThunderWolves responded immediately.
 
Doane halted the momentum with her second goal of the game just over a minute later before Sienna Rinn finished off a feed from her sister, Sophia Rinn to restore a two-goal Pack lead at 9-7.

Jackson added her second goal with under a minute remaining in the period, and freshman attacker Hillary Grehan (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Murdoch MacKay Collegiate) scored with one second left in the period to cap a four-goal run that pushed the ThunderWolves in front 11–7 entering the final 15 minutes of play.

The Pack continued its surge in the fourth period, opening the frame with three straight goals as Doane netted her third of the afternoon at the 14:21 mark before Jackson followed with her third goal to make it 13–7 and Doane then assisted on Sophia Rinn's second goal of the game to stretch the Pack lead to 14-7 with 11:10 to play.

After Coker answered with three straight goals to cut the deficit to 15–10, Doane scored twice more in the final four minutes and Wasmund added her third of the game to put the contest away.
Sienna Rinn added a late goal to seal the 18–11 victory.

For the game, the Pack outshot Coker 51–19, including 43–15 on goal and they forced 28 turnovers and recorded 13 caused turnovers, including a career-high four caused turnovers over junior defender Dylan Retzloff (Bend, Ore./Mountain View).

The Pack also had a 20–13 advantage in draw controls, including a career-high seven draws from Gunnels and two from Jackson, who was making her collegiate debut.

The Pack went 13-for-14 on clears, while Coker was 13-for-17 on clears.

Coker, though, won the ground ball battle, 28-27, as Retzloff had four, while Doane, Wasmund and freshman defender Maelynn Saucedo (Eastvale, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt)

Freshman goalie Hannah Duffee (Stillwater, Minn./St. Croix Preparatory Academy) played all 60 minutes in the cage and recorded four saves and allowed 11 goals in her collegiate debut.

Kate Halcro paced Coker with five goals on six shots, while MacMillian and Miranda each had three goals and two assists each in the loss.

The Pack continues its South Carolina trip on Saturday, Feb. 21 with a 9 a.m. MT game in Central, S.D., against Southern Wesleyan.