The No. 24 Navy women’s lacrosse team claimed a 15-10 victory over Colgate on Saturday afternoon at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The Midshipmen (10-2, 4-0 Patriot League) were powered by their underclassmen, with freshmen and sophomores accounting for 12 of their 15 goals.
Head coach Cindy Timchal praised her team’s defensive effort, stating, “I thought we did a great job defensively. Offensively, I thought we could’ve shot a little better, but, at the end of the day, Navy women’s lacrosse was here together no matter what the score is. We are not going to be defined by our goals as much as playing together, even if we may not be playing our best game.”
Navy’s freshmen and sophomores shone on offense, with Maggie DeFabio and Tori DiCarlo leading the way with three goals apiece. Navy’s upperclassmen contributed three goals, with junior Leelee Denton and senior captain Charlotte Ryan each scoring one goal. Navy’s juniors and seniors also played a key role in facilitating the offense, finishing with six of the team’s eight assists.
Defensively, the Midshipmen tightened up in the second half, limiting the Raiders to just two goals. Goalkeeper Emma Richardell notched 10 saves, marking the fourth time this season she reached double-digit stops. The defense also contributed to the transition game, helping Navy convert 23 of 24 clear attempts.
Navy’s victory over Colgate (2-8, 1-3 Patriot League) was a hard-fought battle, with the lead changing hands several times throughout the game. The Midshipmen were the first to score, with Denton breaking the plane just over a minute into the first quarter. Colgate responded with back-to-back scores to take a 2-1 advantage, but Navy regained the lead with goals by Leone and DiCarlo. The teams exchanged goals throughout the remainder of the first half, with Navy leading 9-8 at halftime.
In the second half, the Midshipmen used a 3-0 run to take a 12-8 lead. Colgate closed the gap to three, but Navy prevented any further Raider goals. Yovino and Kennedy each scored in the fourth quarter to secure the 15-10 win.
Navy’s next game is on the road against Boston University on Saturday, April 8 at 12:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.