ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The No. 21 Navy women's lacrosse team (13-5) posted a 19-2 over Lehigh (6-10) on Saturday afternoon in the quarterfinal round of the Patriot League Tournament at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. With the win, the Midshipmen advanced to the Patriot League Tournament Semifinals at the Ridley Athletic Complex in Baltimore against second-seeded Army on Thursday, May 1 at 7:00 p.m.
 
"What a game," head coach Cindy Timchal said. "We had a decisive victory against Lehigh a little over a week ago, but we knew how tough they were. Last year, they had an upset win over Army in the quarterfinals so we knew we had to be prepared. We were locked in today. There is a lot in front of us and a lot of good teams ahead of us. I am proud of this victory. I am proud of the seniors and their leadership that they showed on the field today in their final game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
 
Ten different Midshipmen combined for 19 goals, including six that posted multiple goals. Taylor Miles led the team with a career-high seven points, notching her first collegiate hat trick and tying a career-best with four assists. Alyssa Chung and Emma Kennedy added five points each on three goals and two assists apiece. Maggie DeFabio, Emily Messinese, and Mikayla Williams contributed a pair of scores each, while Lola Leone, Natalie O'Neill, Bella Paradiso, and Ava Yovino also found the back of the net in the game. Messinese and Reagan Hart rounded out the assists for the Midshipmen.
 
"I was extremely happy that Taylor Miles was named Player of the Game," Timchal added. "She really ignited our offense, spread the ball, and did a lot of scoring. I am really proud of her."
 
Defensively, Navy surrendered just two goals, holding Lehigh scoreless in the second half. It was the first time that the Midshipmen have held an opponent scoreless in a half since holding the Mountain Hawks without a goal in the second half in a 15-4 victory in 2023.
 
Felicia Giglio earned the victory at goal. The sophomore keeper allowed just two goals, while recording four saves and a pair of ground balls. She limited the Mountain Hawk offense to one goal in each of the first two quarters. In the second half, Giglio and Emma Richardell led the Navy defense to a shutout.
 
The Midshipmen caused eight of the Mountain Hawks' 15 turnovers on the day. Caroline Gage led the team with two takeaways with Landen Cain, Jalin Jenkins, Jaclyn Johns, Lizzie Kelley, Grace Peterson, and Lily Schmalz registering caused turnovers.
 
Yovino led the team with four of Navy's 18 ground balls. Chung, Giglio, and Peterson added two GB apiece with Morgan Lewis, Jordan Strang, Cain, Hart, Jenkins, Johns, Kelley, and Messinese picking up ground balls.
 
Alyssa Daley recorded 16 of the Mids' 21 draw controls on the day. The senior added to her single-season record, concluding the day with 210. She is the first Midshipmen with 200 or more draw controls in a single season. For her career, Daley is up to 478 draws and is 15 draws shy of tying Navy and Patriot League career leader Loren Generi ('15), who finished her Midshipmen career with 493.
 
Giglio and Jenkins also recorded draw wins in the game.
 
For Lehigh, Angelina Pino and Emmie Ridgeway scored goals with Molly Snow and Kacie Wines adding assists. Grace Martel and Brynn Freeman combined for Lehigh's four draw controls. Goalkeeper Julia DeLitta and Martel led the team with two ground balls each. DeLitta finished with nine saves, while surrendering 19 goals in a complete-game effort.
 
The Mountain Hawks opened the game with a goal to take an early 1-0 lead. The Midshipmen proceeded to score 19 of the next 20 goals of the game to post the 17-goal victory.
 
In the first quarter, Navy countered the Lehigh goal with a 7-0 run to take control of the game. Chung knotted the score at 1-1 and DeFabio gave the Mids a lead they would not relinquish. Miles netted the next two goals with Williams (2x) and Chung combining for the next three scores to give the Mids a 7-1 advantage through one quarter.
 
Navy continued its run with four more goals before Lehigh notched its second goal. Messinese began the second frame with her first goal of the game. Kennedy followed with back-to-back scores and Chung completed her hat trick with her third goal of the game. Following the Mountain Hawks' second goal of the game, Messinese closed out the half with her second goal to put the Midshipmen in front, 12-2, at the half.
 
In the second half, the Mids used a 3-0 third quarter and a 4-0 fourth quarter to provide the final margin of 19-2. Yovino, DeFabio, and Kennedy each scored in the third quarter. The goal gave Kennedy her fifth hat trick of the season. In the fourth, Miles, Leone, Paradiso, and O'Neill all found the back of the net. The goal gave Miles her first collegiate hat trick, while Leone's goal was her 99th of her collegiate career. For Paradiso and O'Neill, it was the duo's first goals of the season, while Hart's assist on O'Neill's goal marked the sophomore's first collegiate point.
 
With the win, Navy advanced to the Patriot League Tournament Semifinals at the Ridley Athletic Complex in Baltimore against second-seeded Army on Thursday, May 1 at 7:00 p.m. The game will be the broadcast on ESPN+, aired on WNAV, and live stats will be available.