ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The No. 20 Navy women's lacrosse team (12-3, 6-1 Patriot League) opened the game with a 9-0 run and never looked back as the Midshipmen posted a 15-4 victory over Lehigh (7-6, 3-4 Patriot League) on Wednesday evening at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The defense held its 11th opponent of the season to single-digit goals, while the offense tallied 15 goals with eight assists in the win. The Midshipmen dominated possession, winning 18 of 20 draw controls on the night.
 
"It was wonderful to be back in Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium," head coach Cindy Timchal said. "There was a little bit of concern with Lehigh coming in, fighting for a Patriot League playoff spot. They have always given us tough games. This midweek game was something we kind of wanted to get a jinx over. We haven't really played that well in midweek games. The leadership with our captains and our coaching staff who put together an amazing plan for Lehigh, helped us carry the game plan out all the way through."
 
The Navy defense held its 11th opponent in 15 total games to single-digit goals. The Midshipmen held the Mountain Hawks to just one goal over the first three quarters, while ultimately holding Lehigh to its lowest scoring output of the season. The Mids' back line caused seven of the Mountain Hawks' 12 turnovers in the game. Caroline Stefans led the team with two caused turnovers, while Maggie DeFabio, Caroline Gage, Kat McAteer, Grace Peterson, and Mikayla Williams added takeaways. Stefans and Emily Messinese led the team with three ground balls apiece, while Felicia Giglio picked up a pair of ground balls. Giglio finished the night with five saves in 57:32 minutes of action at goal, while Emma Richardell posted a clean sheet in the cage in two and a half minutes of action.
 
The Midshipmen limited the Mountain Hawks' possessions, wining 18 of 20 draws on the night.
 
Alyssa Daley won 10 draws, giving the junior her third consecutive game with double-digit draw victories. With her 10 draw wins, Daley now has 146 on the season, tying her with Reagan Roelofs' 2019 mark for the second-most draws in a single season. She is now seven draws shy of tying the school record of 153, which was set by Loren Generi in 2015.
 
Williams tied a season high with four draw controls, while Messinese added a pair of draw victories.
 
Offensively, eight different Mids combined to score 15 goals, including four multi-goal performances. Lola Leone paced the team with a career-high five goals, finishing the night 5-for-6 shooting. Tori DiCarlo finished with a pair of goals, while adding a team-high three assists for five points in the game to give her 100 points in her three-year career. DeFabio and Emma Kennedy each added two scores, while Lindsay Beardmore, Natalie O'Neill, Gage, and Messinese scores. For O'Neill, the goal was the freshman's first collegiate goal.
 
Williams followed DiCarlo with two assists, while DeFabio, McAteer, and Messinese were each credited with helpers.
 
For Lehigh, four different players each scored a goal with three different players finishing with an assist. Emma Eberhardt paced the Mountain Hawks with two points on a goal and an assist. Hayley Hunt finished with 15 saves and 15 goals allowed in a complete-game effort, leading Lehigh with four ground balls and two caused turnovers.
 
Navy opened the game with a 9-0 run that extended into the second quarter, taking control of the game early. Beardmore and Messinese each found the back of the net in the first five minutes of the game. Kennedy scored two first-quarter goals, while DeFabio and Leone each scored in the first period to give Navy a 6-0 advantage. In the second quarter, the Mids continued their run as Gage turned defense into offense, picking up a ground ball, clearing the ball, and burying into the back of the net for a score. Leone notched back-to-back goals to give her a hat trick in the opening half of play. Lehigh scored, but Leone and DiCarlo capped the half with goals to give Navy an 11-1 advantage at intermission.
 
In the second half, the Midshipmen took advantage of the running clock to limit possessions and hold the Mountain Hawks scoreless in a quarter for the second time in the game. Leone notched her fifth goal, while DeFabio and DiCarlo notched their second goals each. The fourth quarter saw Lehigh score three times, but O'Neill provided the final margin of 15-4, converting a free-position opportunity for her first collegiate score.
 
Navy hits the road for a Patriot League game at Lafayette on Saturday, April 20 in Easton, Pa. The game, which will be broadcast on ESPN+, is slated for 11:00 a.m.