REDLANDS, Calif. – Shaina Denny tallied seven points in her season debut with the Poets and Carolyn Mukai added five but it wasn't enough as the Whittier women's lacrosse team dropped its 2011 season opener on Wednesday evening at Farquhar Field.

Whittier (0-1) faced a two-goal deficit at the intermission but was outscored 12-6 in the second half as the University of Redlands won 20-12.

The first half was evenly played with both teams firing 13 shots and the Bulldogs holding a minimal 15-14 advantage on ground balls.

The Poets scored first just 1:59 into the start of the season as Raquel Damti finished a feed from Denny. Redlands answered with two straight goals but Denny found the back of the net on consecutive strikes to help WC to a 3-2 lead at the 23:27 mark.

Redlands (1-0) scored four of the next five goals and after Denny tacked on her third of the game at the 10:35 mark Redlands added two more at 8:37 and 1:18 to go up 8-5.

Mukai rounded out the first half scoring with 1:06 remaining.

Redlands opened the second half with three of the first four goals but Whittier remained close with a 3-1 run of its own. The difference in the game started at the 12:06 mark as it marked the start of a 6-0 Redlands run that turned a 12-10 game into an 18-10 game with 7:30 left in regulation.

Drew Kuperman ended the Whittier drought at 4:55 but Redlands added back-to-back goals before Denny ended the game with her fifth goal.

Mukai had a team-high four ground balls and game away with six draw controls while Katie Clinnin had three ground balls.

Whittier was 12-of-19 on clear opportunities for the game.

Lindsay Warrick was tagged with the loss after allowing 13 goals in 39:26 minutes of work. Conny Joel made the start and made two saves. Warrick finished with five.

The Poets return to action on Saturday morning as they host Pomona-Pitzer at 11 am.