CHARLESTON, W.Va. - - For the fourth year in a row, UVa-Wise won its Mountain East Conference opener with a 22-8 victory at University of Charleston on Sunday afternoon.

The Golden Eagles (2-5, 0-1 MEC) scored first on a goal by junior Emma Renda just 16 seconds into the game, but the Cavaliers (3-5, 1-0 MEC) responded with five unanswered goals over five minutes. UVa-Wise would score nine more times in the half, as freshman Caroline Earnshaw scored off an assist from senior McKayla Grasham with four seconds left in the period to extend the lead to 14-5.

Charleston would only score three more times in the game, as UVa-Wise scored eight second-half goals, including a second-half hat-trick from senior Kristin Gobbi.

The win improves the Cavaliers to 5-0 all-time against the Golden Eagles, as they have now won nine straight Mountain East Conference matches.

Gobbi and Earnshaw set season-highs as they led the team with five goals each, with Earnshaw also recording an assist to give her a career-high six points.

Junior Ashley Wells had a season-high four goals in the win, while senior Sydney Steinberg finished with two goals and three assists. Grasham recorded one goal and two assists while leading the team with six draw controls. Overall, eight different UVa-Wise players found the back of the net with 10 of the 22 goals coming off an assit.

The Cavaliers return to MEC action on Friday afternoon, when they host West Virginia Wesleyan College at 3 p.m. at Carl Smith Stadium.