HAMILTON, N.Y. – Four different Midshipmen recorded hat tricks, while the defense held another opponent to single digits as the No. 18 Navy women's lacrosse team (7-1, 1-0 Patriot League) began Patriot League play with a 19-7 road win against Colgate (0-8, 0-2 Patriot League) on Saturday afternoon at Crown Field at Andy Kerr Stadium in Hamilton, N.Y.
 
"Today was a total team effort against Colgate," head coach Cindy Timchal said. "It is a credit to the team for coming out strong and playing consistent throughout the four quarters and bringing home a victory for Navy women's lacrosse. Collectively, our goal has been, have a offense that is balanced. If they made it difficult for one player, someone else could step up. To have that kind of balance and have it on the road, is a tribute to the team having the right mindset coming up here and being ready to play. Also, I thought our defense did great with Felicia finishing with eight saves and being able to hold them to under 10 goals. Total team effort today."
 
Offensively, the Midshipmen had four different players record hat tricks in the game. It was the second time this season and the 41st time in program history that Navy has had four or more players record hat tricks in the same game.
 
Tori DiCarlo, Anna Gotterup, Lola Leone, and Emily Messinese each finished with hat tricks, while Emma Kennedy and Kat McAteer added a pair of goals apiece. DiCarlo led the charge with four goals, while Gotterup, Leone, and Messinese contributed three goals each. For DiCarlo, it was the junior's seventh consecutive hat trick, while it was Messinese's seventh hat trick of the year. The three-goal effort was the first of Gotterup's Navy career. Maggie DeFabio and Mikayla Williams also scored in the contest.
 
Messinese led the team with a game-high three assists to lead the Mids with six total points. Sophia Neitzell added two helpers with DeFabio, DiCarlo, Leone, McAteer, Williams, and Lindsay Beardmore being credited with assists.
 
With her six points, Messinese topped the 100-point plateau becoming the 21st player in Navy history with 100 or more points. The junior currently sits at 101 points on 81 goals and 20 assists.
 
Defensively, Navy held its seventh opponent of the year to single digit goals. The Midshipmen caused eight of the Raiders' 16 turnovers in the game. Caroline Stefans led the team with two caused turnovers, while DeFabio, Neitzell, Jaclyn Johns, Morgan Lewis, Grace Peterson, and Emma Richardell each added CTs.
 
At goal, Felicia Giglio finished the game with a season-high eight saves in 53:33 of action. Giglio was balanced, recording four stops in each half. The freshman led the team with three ground balls, while eight other Mids picked up ground balls on the day. Emma Richardell entered the game to work the final six and a half minutes, allowing one goal.
 
The Midshipmen won the draw control battle, winning 18 of 28 draws on the day. Alyssa Daley paced the team with eight draws won, while Stefans and Messinese finished with four and three draws, respectively.
 
For Colgate, Lucy Licata scored three of the Raiders' seven goals, while Kyra Lucey was credited with all three of Colgate's assists. Lauren Solis finished with 14 saves, while allowing 19 goals in the losing effort.
 
In the first quarter, Navy got things started, scoring four goals by four different players to take an early lead. DiCarlo began the run for the Midshipmen with her first goal of the day. Messinese followed with her first score, while Williams and Leone pushed the Navy advantage to 4-0. Colgate used a free-position goal to end the run and scratch the scoreboard. The Raiders added another goal to close the gap to 4-2, but McAteer buried a Messinese pass into the back of the goal to give Navy a 5-2 advantage through one period.
 
Colgate scored a free-position goal to start the second half and close the margin to two, but Navy countered with a 4-0 run to take a 9-3 lead. DeFabio opened the run with her first goal of the day, while Messinese, McAteer, and DiCarlo each dented the twine for their second scores of the contest. The Raiders scored the final goal of the half to provide the intermission score of 9-4.
 
The Midshipmen opened the second half with back-to-back goals by DiCarlo and Leone to push the advantage to 11-4. Following a Raider goal, the Mids closed out the period with a pair of goals by Gotterup and Leone.
 
In the fourth quarter, the Mids closed out the game, outscoring the Raiders, 6-2. DiCarlo and Messinese started the period with consecutive scores. Following a Colgate free-position goal, Kennedy and Gotterup each found the back of the net. Colgate scored what would be their final goal of the game, while Gotterup completed her hat trick with her third goal of the half and Kennedy put the exclamation point on the victory, scoring her second goal of the game as time expired.
 
Navy continues Patriot League competition with a road contest at Loyola on Wednesday, March 20 (6:00 p.m.) before hosting Boston University of Saturday, March 23 (12:00 p.m.). Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live stats will be available.