BERKELEY - Sophomore goalie Jenny Wilkens made 13 saves, but Denver defeated the California women's lacrosse team, 15-5, Friday night at Kabam Field at California Memorial Stadium in the 2017 season opener. 

Caroline Schlegel scored twice and true freshman Noelani Murayama scored her first career goal on a free position shot. 

Cal scored the first goal of the game in the second minute when senior Elizabeth Pellechi found the back of the net after leading her squad in goals a year ago in 2016. 

Pellechi's goal would be the lone tally of the opening half for the Bears as Denver took a 5-1 lead into halftime. 

Wilkens kept the Bears in the game in the first half with 10 of her 13 stops coming in the opening half. Wilkens' career best is 20 saves that she made last year against San Diego State. The 13 stops tie for second-best in her career. This also was the second straight game that she tallied 13 saves as she also collected 13 in the 2016 finale against Saint Mary's. Wilkens now boasts seven career double-digit save performances. 

"She was phenomenal," head coach Brooke Eubanks said. "After having such a great freshman year and then to be able to come out like that with a great performance in the first game of her sophomore year, I think that is huge. That's hard to do. You have such a great season as a freshman, that creates a lot of pressure, but she was calm, collected and she was making huge plays. She was definitely the all star of today."

Just 10 seconds into the second half, senior Jena Fritts tried to spark the Bears when she scored her first goal of the season with an assist from Meredith Haggerty. Cal's leader in points and assists a year ago, Fritts started the 2017 campaign with a goal and an assist tonight against Denver. 

Both of Schlegel's goals came in the second half, one at the 22:01 mark and the other with two minutes remaining. 

With just over five minutes left, Murayama gave the Bears something to cheer about when she scored her first collegiate goal on a free position shot. 

"We have a lot of options and the freshmen are definitely going to be contributors," Eubanks said. "They add a spark, and I think they complement the other veterans we have on the offensive end and in the midfield, as well. They're just going to be great options that we have either starting or coming in off the bench."

The Bears head north to face Oregon in their MPSF opener on Sunday, March 19, at 3 p.m. That game be seen live on the Pac-12 Networks.