CLAREMONT, Calif.  The end result may not have been a win, but Whitman's women's lacrosse team cut a scare into Pomona-Pitzer Colleges Wednesday morning.

The host Sagehens had to hold off a surging Blues squad that had pulled to within two early in the second half, eventually playing keep-away in the final minutes to hang on for an 11-8 non-conference win for the home team.

Last season the two teams met on the same South Athletics Complex field and the Sagehens reeled off nine unanswered goals in the opening 20 minutes in what would become a 19-4 loss for Whitman.

Wednesday was a different story, though.

Pomona opened the scoring quickly, less than 45 seconds in, but Mary Noyes was able to answer back for the Blues, scoring at the 27:47 mark.

The only sluggish part of the game for Whitman came over the next seven minutes during which the Sagehens put in five consecutive goals to open up a 6-1 advantage, hinting at another run like in last spring's game.

It's already been said, however, that this time things were different.

Over the rest of the game Whitman would out score Pomona, 7-5, and a three-goal spurt that spanned the end of the first half and the beginning of the second had the young Blues thinking upset.

Anna Melville's goal had halted Pomona's early run, only to have the Sagehens add two straight to edge out to an 8-2 bulge.

That is when the Whitman attack began to find its legs. Swarming around Pomona goalkeeper Mackenzie Scott the Blues were able to cut into the lead putting two behind her. Lindsay Schwartz scored at the 7:20 mark and less than one minute later Maddie Florer found the back of the goal.

A Sagehen goal three minutes later regained some of their breathing room, but those breaths got shorter near the end of the half.

Abbey Dias scored an unassisted goal with 2:26 left before recess, and then Noyes pumped home a free-position goal with 1:19 left.

Down 9-6 at the break the game had clearly turned for Whitman.

The goal-happy opening 30 minutes -- with a combined 15 goals -- turned into a defensive battle in the second half.

It took nearly seven minutes for the first goal, and it was another by Schwartz that now pulled Whitman to within two, at 9-7.

A Sagehen goal four minutes later challenged the come-back efforts, but another Pomona score with 11:43 to play was a painful score to the rally.

It took just 29 seconds, however, for Whitman to regain some momentum when Dias took a feed from Melville and powered her way on goal from the right, finally launching a shot into the upper-right corner over Scott to lessen the deficit to three.

Pomona was able to cycle its now soft attack the rest of the way, though, to outlast a Blues squad that showed what a difference a year can make.

Noyes, Dias and Schwartz finished with two goals each, with Melville and Florer added one apiece. Ellie Teare came up with a team-high four ground balls and added a caused turnover.

Whitman allowed just four free-position attempts to the Sagehens who were unable to score on any of those chances.

Kate Whittingham played well in goal for Whitman, finishing with eight saves. Scott earned the win for Pomona with 14 saves.

The Blues conclude their Southern California trip Thursday at Whittier College in another non-conference contest.