The No. 20 Navy women's lacrosse team (10-3, 4-1 Patriot League) fell to Boston University (7-6, 2-4 Patriot League) in a hard-fought battle at Nickerson Field in Boston on Saturday. The game was decided by a single goal, with BU coming out on top with a final score of 12-11. The Midshipmen were unable to complete their comeback attempt, despite closing the gap to one on four different occasions.
The game was another close battle in the all-time series, with seven of the ten games played between the two teams being decided by three goals or less. The last three contests played in Boston have been decided by one goal.
"This was a tough loss for Navy women's lacrosse," said head coach Cindy Timchal. "BU came out red hot, but we fought all the way through. In the end, we just didn't finish on enough shots and it came down to finishing. BU played us tough, which is how it goes when you are on the road. I do believe that we responded. We ran out of time, but we fought hard to the very end. I am proud of the team and the way that they battled. We just have to move forward."
Offensively, Navy scored 11 goals on 29 shots, while BU finished with 12 scores on 18 attempts. The Midshipmen registered just one assist in the game, with five players scoring and notching multi-score performances. Ava Yovino finished with a hat trick, netting three goals, while offensive team captain Charlotte Ryan finished with three points, netting a pair of goals and adding the only assist of the game for Navy. Maggie DeFabio, Lola Leone, and Emily Messinese each scored twice.
Defensively, Navy caused 11 of the Terriers' 17 turnovers on the day. Emma Richardell finished the day with four saves, while surrendering 12 goals in a complete game effort. Gabby Lavin paced the squad with two caused turnovers, while Messinese, Richardell, and Grace Peterson finished with two ground balls apiece.
BU edged Navy, 14-13, in draw controls, with Ryan leading the team with five draws, while DeFabio and Yovino added two apiece.
For Boston, Matty Spaeth led the Terriers with four goals, while Abby Cotraro and Hannah Tilier added four points with two goals and two assists each. Goalkeeper Reilly Agres turned away 10 of Navy's shots in a winning effort.
Navy was the first team to score, with Ryan scoring 45 seconds into the game. Boston responded with four straight goals to take a 4-1 lead. Messinese scored a pair of goals in the first quarter, as the two teams traded goals over the final seven minutes of the quarter. Trailing 6-3, Yovino matched BU with two goals in the second quarter, as the Mids entered halftime down, 8-5.
The Midshipmen cut the margin to one in the third quarter, outscoring the Terriers, 3-1, in the period. Ryan opened the scoring with her second goal of the game, but a BU score pushed its lead back to three, 9-6. Leone scored the next two goals, converting a free-position opportunity and burying a second goal into the back of the cage, sending the game into the final quarter with the Mids down, 9-8.
Boston opened the final quarter with a goal, but DeFabio took a pass from Ryan and slipped it past Agres for the goal.
The home team regained a two-goal advantage, 11-9, but DeFabio trimmed the margin with a free-position goal. The Terriers scored with 50 seconds on the clock to push their advantage to 12-10. The Midshipmen refused to quit, with Yovino scoring with four seconds on the clock. BU won the ensuing draw control to seal the win for the Terriers.
Navy will look to bounce back next week with a pair of Patriot League games. The Midshipmen will travel to Washington, D.C. for a midweek game against American on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. before returning home to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for Senior Day on Saturday against Holy Cross at 12 noon. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live stats will be available.
The loss against BU is a setback for Navy, but the team remains focused on the season ahead. With only two games remaining in the regular season, the Midshipmen are determined to finish strong and make a push for the postseason.
The Navy women's lacrosse team has a storied history, with nine Patriot League championships and 12 NCAA tournament appearances. The team has established itself as one of the top programs in the country, and this year's squad is no exception. Despite the loss to BU, the Midshipmen have shown that they are a force to be reckoned with and will be a tough out for any opponent in the postseason.
As the regular season comes to a close, Navy will look to build on its successes and continue to improve in all areas of the game. With a talented roster and a coaching staff with a proven track record of success, the Midshipmen have all the pieces in place to make a deep run in the postseason and bring home another Patriot League championship.
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