ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Leading by one towards the end of the first quarter, 4-3, the #10 Navy women's lacrosse team (2-0) erupted for 11 straight goals to take control of the game en route to an 18-5 victory in the home opener against Villanova (1-1) on Saturday morning at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
 
Sophomores Alyssa Chung and Taylor Miles shined for the Midshipmen, combining for 16 points on 10 goals and six assists. Chung finished with seven goals, which was the second-most in a Navy game in program history, while Miles concluded the game with nine points on three goals and six assists to finish with the fourth-most points and fifth-most assists in a game by a Midshipmen.
 
"They were a team that we thought were quite good and dangerous," head coach Cindy Timchal said after the game. "It went back and forth early. Offensively, I thought we did a great job executing. We were highlighted by a couple of players that really stood out, but collectively, as a team, we just want to win for each other. We wanted a great home opener with a great crowd here. It was an exciting win for Navy women's lacrosse."
 
With the win, Navy improved to 17-2 (.895) in home openers and 14-2 (.875) in morning games.
 
Navy finished the game with 18 goals with eight different Midshipmen finding the back of the net. Four players finished with multiple scores, including Chung and Miles who notched hat tricks. Joining Chung and Miles with multiple scores was Emma Kennedy and Mikayla Williams who notched to scores apiece. Chloe Brown, Anna Gotterup, Grace Mitchell, and Ava Yovino also scored. Yovino followed Miles with two assists, while Gotterup, Williams, and Rowan Kimmel also added helpers in the game.
 
The Mids' defense held its first opponent of the season to single digits, limiting the potent Wildcat offense to just five goals. Navy caused seven of Villanova's 15 turnovers and disrupted the visitors throughout the day. Eleven players picked up ground balls, including eight Midshipmen who notched multiple GB. Jalin Jenkins led the team with three ground balls with Chung, Kennedy, Miles, Yovino, Landen Cain, Jaclyn Johns, and Lily Schmalz grabbing two apiece.
 
In goal, Felicia Giglio earned the victory. The junior worked 55 and a half minutes in the cage, making seven stops in the game. With her first save of the game, Giglio recorded her 250th career save. She became the fourth player in program history with 250 or more saves, joining Ingrid Boyum (2015-18) – 428 saves, Elaina Ponchione (2009-12) – 375 saves, and Annie Foky (2012-15) – 257 saves. Freshman Angelina Price took over for Giglio in the fourth quarter, working a scoreless four and a half minutes and notching her first collegiate save.
 
Maura Murphy led the Mids in the draw circle, winning five of Navy's 10 draws.
 
For Villanova, five different players scored one goal with an additional three players notching assists. Makenzie Fisher worked a complete game in the cage allowing 18 goals and notching 13 saves.
 
The Wildcats were the first team to score, taking any early 1-0 lead. The Midshipmen countered with a 4-0 run with a pair of goals by Chung and scores by Miles and Williams. Villanova cut the margin to one, 4-3, with two goals, but Navy took control of the game with an 11-0 run that stretched into the third quarter.
 
Chung led the charge with four goals during the run with Kennedy starting and ending the scoring onslaught with goals. Brown, Gotterup, Miles, and Yovino each added scores during the run with Miles contributing four assists in that stretch.
 
The Navy defense held Villanova scoreless in the second quarter, marking the second consecutive game to start the season holding its opponent without a goal in the second period.
 
Over the final 25 minutes of the game, the two teams combined for five goals with the Mids notching a 3-2 advantage. Chung and Miles notched two of the scores for the Mids. Mitchell scored her first collegiate goal, while Kimmel added her first collegiate assist to provide the final margin of 18-5.
 
Up next, Navy will take on Delaware in a midweek road game in Newark, Del. on Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 3:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live stats will be available.