TACOMA, Wash. The first win of the 2017 season came in dominant form Sunday afternoon for Whitman College's women's lacrosse team, as the Blues overpowered Alma (Mich.) College, 20-1, in a non-conference, neutral-site match-up at Lower Baker Field on the campus of University of Puget Sound.

It didn't take Whitman (1-2) long to establish a tone for the afternoon as it scored three times in less than one minute beginning with a Mary Noyes free position goal before three minutes had expired in the opening half.

Though the Scots (0-1) won the ensuing draw control they failed to maintain possession and Noyes picked up the ground ball to begin the transition attack. Only 26 seconds later Lindsay Schwartz, taking a feed from Maddie Florer, found the back of the Alma goal for a 2-0 lead.

The third marker came 33 seconds later, as a Schwartz draw control win turned into an unassisted goal by first-year Ellie Teare -- her first as a collegian.

Though the Blues didn't keep up that pace, they remained methodical throughout the rest of the half by scoring 10 more goals on average 2 minutes, 32 seconds apart, and toted a 13-0 advantage into the halftime break.

During those opening 30 minutes of action Whitman racked up 17 shots while allowing the Scots just five.

The second half pace was controlled by Whitman again. This time it was a more reserved attack, piling up minutes of possession rather than piling on goals.

Over those final 30 minutes the Blues scored seven goals on eight shots and allowed the Scots just one shot, which was a free position goal by Katilyn Urick for Alma's only goal in the game.

Three Whitman players notched their first collegiate goals, including Teare's first-half tally. Late in the game sophomore Chantal Arnold buries a shot into the Alma net, then minutes later sophomore Keifer Nace earned her first goal. Schwartz, who finished the day with four assists, picked up the helpers on Arnold's and Nace's goals.

For the game Whitman accumulated 25 shots, 21 of which were on frame. Alma goalkeeper Miranda Kruse did what she could against the swarming attack but came away with only one save.

The only blemish on Blues net minder Kate Whittingham's record was the free position shot, as she earned the win -- her first as a collegian -- by making three saves in the contest.

Schwartz (6 goals, 4 assists) and Noyes (4 goals) led the Whitman attack, but Anna Melville and Nina Moore chimed in with two each, and six others contributed one goal to the final total.

The Blues won the battle on the turf by coming up with a 21-15 edge in ground balls, as well as in the air by accumulating a commanding 17-6 advantage in draw controls with Schwartz leading the way with a game-best seven.

Whitman opens Northwest Conference play with its next games, traveling to George Fox University on Saturday and Pacific (Ore.) University the following day to square off against the two teams that finished last season tied atop the league standings.