ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy women's lacrosse team (4-1) was edged 10-9 by Saint Joseph's (2-2) on Friday evening at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The game was a defensive battle with the two teams combining for 19 caused turnovers and both goalies registering double-digit saves.
 
"I am extremely proud of the team's effort tonight," head coach Cindy Timchal said after the game. "Both goalies played tough. Their goalie made great saves and we weren't able to finish in some instances. We got a hot start and Saint Joseph's responded. Losing Reagan in the first half to yellow cards and then being down a midfielder later, it took a little chi out of our team. We fought back and responded. It is a disappointing loss, but I am proud of the team effort. It was a tough loss, but our players are not hanging their heads. They are looking forward to the next opportunity against Drexel."
 
Navy received a career-high performance by sophomore goalkeeper Jo Torres (Prince Frederick, Md.), who tallied 14 saves in the loss. The double-digit save performance marked the fourth time in Torres' short career (14 games) that she tallied 10 or more stops. In addition, she tied a career high with four ground balls.
 
As a team, the Midshipmen caused 10 of the Hawks' 18 turnovers. Ten different Mids registered caused turnovers in the game. Navy picked up 23 ground balls with Charlotte Ryan (Tully, N.Y.) leading the team with a career high five ground balls. Gil Eby (Towson, Md.) joined Torres with four ground balls, while Emily Messinese (Manchester, Md.) and Christine Fiore (Darien, Conn.) added two GBs.
 
Ryan and Eby led the team with four points apiece. Ryan scored a career-high four goals, notching her second hat trick in the last two games. Eby scored a pair of goals, while adding a team-high two assists. Leelee Denton (Nashville, Tenn.), Kasey Dietzel (Warrington, Pa.), and Lola Leone (Bay Shore, N.Y.) rounded out the scoring with one goal each. Reagan Roelofs (Apple Valley, Minn.), Fiore, and Leone added a helper apiece.
 
Messinese led the team with four draws controls, while Dietzel added three. Roelofs and Fiore each won two draws, while Eby picked up one.
 
For Saint Joseph's, Lauren Figura and Lisa Ross each scored three goals with an assist for four points apiece. Goalie Jorden Concordia earned the win finishing the game with 18 saves.
 
Navy was the first team to score, jumping out to a 3-0 advantage. Eby and Dietzel converted free-position opportunities to start the scoring. Denton followed with a goal to give the Mids a three-goal advantage. Saint Joseph's scored to trim the margin to two, but Ryan scored her first goal of the night to give Navy a 4-1 lead through one quarter.
 
In the second quarter, the Hawks outscored the Mids, 4-0, take a 5-4 lead into halftime. Figura scored three of the four goals in the quarter.
 
Ryan tied the game at five with a goal 24 seconds into the third quarter, but SJU responded with a score to regain the lead. Ryan knotted the score at 6-6 with her third goal of the game. Back-to-back goals by Saint Joseph's gave the visitors an 8-6 edge through three quarters.
 
Leone trimmed the margin to one with a goal in the fourth quarter, but the Hawks answered with a free-position goal. Ryan used her fourth goal of the game to trim the margin to one. Eby's second goal of the game knotted the score at 9-9 with 6:50 remaining. Saint Joseph's scored with 5:24 remaining to take a 10-9 advantage. Both teams used solid defense to prevent goals in the final five and a half minutes of play.
 
Navy returns to action on Tuesday, March 1 as the Midshipmen travel to Philadelphia to take on #15 Drexel in a midweek tilt. Opening draw is slated for 1:00 p.m. and will be live streamed on FloLive ($).