Army women’s lacrosse came out with tremendous intensity and built a big early lead on the way to beating Navy in the Star game.
Earlier this week, Navy coach Cindy Timchal outlined a list of things her troops needed to do differently to reverse that result in the rematch with the archrival.
Consider it mission accomplished for the Midshipmen on all fronts.
Timchal wanted Navy to come out more aggressively and set the tone from the outset. Check. She said the Mids had to have confidence and certainty in their game plan. Check. Lastly, the Hall of Fame coach said her squad needed to be better defensively and win several key matchups on that end of the field. Check.
Senior Alyssa Daley dominated the draws, junior attack Emma Kennedy sparked an impressive offensive performance and goalie Felicia Giglio made some tough stops to anchor a suffocating defensive effort as Navy beat Army, 18-9, in the semifinals of the Patriot League Tournament.
Daley displayed her prowess as a draw specialist as the Midshipmen dominated that department, 24-6. The Walkersville resident added to her single-season school record for draw controls by winning 13 to herself.
Kennedy was active as both a finisher and a feeder in scoring five goals and dishing off two assists. Senior attack Tori DiCarlo and sophomore midfielder Mikayla Williams totaled three goals and an assist apiece for the Mids, who never trailed.
Giglio registered nine saves, including several of the spectacular variety, as Army was held seven goals below its season average against Patriot League opponents.
“This was a total team effort led by our two team captains [Emily Messinese and Lola Leone] to step out on this field tonight and bring it home for Navy women’s lacrosse,” Timchal said. “I couldn’t be more happy for the team and so grateful for what the players did out on the field.”
Junior midfielder Maggie DeFabio contributed two goals and an assist for Navy (14-5), which advanced to the Patriot League Tournament championship game for the 13th time. The Midshipmen improved to 13-3 all-time in the semifinal round.
Fourth-seeded Navy will return to Ridley Athletic Complex on Saturday afternoon (2:30) to take on top-seeded Loyola (13-5). The Greyhounds are trying for their ninth Patriot League Tournament title, while the Midshipmen are seeking their seventh.
Loyola Maryland women’s lacrosse reaches 11th straight Patriot League final
“Loyola is an exceptional team with great players that is well coached. We’ve got our work cut out for us,” Timchal said.
This will be the seventh time Navy and Loyola have met in the championship game. The Greyhounds are 5-2 in those matchups after beating the Mids 12-11 in overtime last season.
“Losing to Loyola in overtime last year lit a fire and we’re really excited to get another chance at winning a championship on Saturday,” Kennedy said.
Army dominated on both ends of the field in building a big lead in the first quarter and never looked back in beating Navy, 17-12, on April 12 at Michie Stadium on the West Point campus. The Black Knights dominated every facet in racing out to a 7-0 lead.
Navy knew it needed to get off to a better start and Daly helped make it happen by winning the opening draw cleanly. She carried the ball into the offensive zone and passed the ball to senior attacker Emily Messinese, who fed DeFabio for a goal with just nine seconds elapsed.
That opening possession sent a strong message the Midshipmen were serious about getting redemption for the regular season result.
“We’ve been sad for a long time. It was a disappointment for everyone that we lost that game up there in West Point,” Timchal said. “We wound up getting a rematch with Army and rose to the challenge. It was an elite effort in a big moment.”
Army managed to tie the score at 4-4 on an unassisted goal by junior attacker Allison Reilly with 1:47 remaining in the first quarter. However, freshman attack Alyssa Chung answered with a goal off a free position with 43 seconds left to put Navy ahead to stay.
Kennedy had two goals and an assist to lead a 3-0 run that gave Navy a 10-6 halftime lead. DeFabio had a goal and assist as the Midshipmen outscored the Black Knights 5-2 in the third period and the rout was on.
“It’s one of the best feelings ever to come out here with your teammates and beat Army. We definitely used the fuel from the last game and brought it here tonight,” Daley said. “We just played our game. We played smart, played selfless and played as a team. That’s what got us the dub.”
Army really had no shot of mounting a comeback because it could not win enough draws to put together a run. Messinese and Williams, who work the circle with Daley, combined for nine draw controls.
“We really emphasized the whole circle and team play. I think the chemistry between us really showed through in this game,” Daley said. “Obviously, controlling possession is pivotal in a game like this. They can’t score if we control the ball.”
Reilly scored four goals to lead second-seeded Army (13-3), which was outscored 13-5 over the final three quarters. Junior attack Chloe Garrett totaled two goals and an assist for the Black Knights, who were 0-for-4 on free position opportunities.
“I think we were really locked in defensively. Our slide packages were on point,” Timchal said.
“I thought Felicia dug down deep to make some tough saves.
Goalie Lindsey Serafine gave up five goals without making a save in the decisive third period. Navy’s 18 goals were the most allowed by Army this season.
“We knew what we had to do coming into this game. We were really upset after the last Army game, but we just had to work harder, get better and make sure we were ready for this game,” Kennedy said. “We talked about how it’s a game of inches. You have to win every ground ball, every draw, every play. We weren’t worried about the end game; we were focused on winning every inch play by play.”
UP NEXT
Patriot League championship
No. 22 Navy at No. 15 Loyola Maryland
Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: 1400 AM
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