May 10, 2009

Box Score

Princeton, N.J. - The Georgetown University women's lacrosse squad has been known as a second-half team all season. In a 15-9 NCAA Tournament loss to the Princeton Tigers (14-3) on Sunday, the Hoyas struggled to score in the second after trailing for much of the first. A 4-1 run near the end of the first half pulled GU within one, but that momentum would not carry over to the second as the Hoyas were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament finishing the season with a record of 13-6.

"The tough part is that you work so hard and it comes down to careless mistakes," said Head Coach Ricky Fried. "These are college kids fighting hard trying to win and sometimes you try so hard that you end up making mistake."

Ashby Kaestner (Trappe, Md./Saints Peter and Paul) scored the first goal of the tournament firing from the left side less than two minutes in. The lead would be short-lived, however, as the Tigers quickly hit four in a row forcing GU to call a timeout to regroup.

A Princeton yellow card right in front of the goal gave Erin Lovett (Wantagh, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) the free position attempt at 18:13 and she connected stopping the run and giving Georgetown some momentum. Unfortunately, a foul in almost the exact spot on the other end gave a goal right back off of the eight meter.

Kaestner hit her second of the game, but once again Princeton answered making it 7-3.

The momentum finally shifted with 10 minutes left as Kaestner flipped one in off of a perfect pass from Jordy Kirr (Baltimore, Md./Bryn Mawr Academy) and Molly Ford (Reisterstown, Md./Notre Dame Prep) scored on the next possession. The Tigers added another but Ford's spinning goal in the middle and one from Megan Bloomer (Paoli, Pa./Conestoga) off of the draw pulled the Hoyas within one.

Georgetown went into the break trailing, 8-7, after a late goal by Kirr was called off after the stick check. The Hoyas had another strike against them as Kaestner left the game with an injury following her third score and wouldn't return.

Princeton scored five unanswered goals to start the second taking the largest lead of the game, 13-7. Ford ended Georgetown's scoring drought with three minutes left and freshman Kelly Barnes (St. Davids, Pa./Radnor) added one more but it was too little too late as GU fell, 15-9.

"They outhustled us in the first ten minutes of the second half and we made careless mistakes," said Fried. "We would cause turnovers and give it right back. They controlled the tempo those first ten minutes."

Ford and Kaestner each scored three goals to lead the Hoyas and Kirr had two assists. GU was out-shot 29-26 and had 10 ground balls to Princeton's 17. The Tigers also had 17 draw controls while the Hoyas managed nine, just one in the second half.

The Hoyas finish the season with a record of 13-6. Georgetown will lose five seniors to graduation but will return its top nine scorers and welcome back fifth-year senior Bunny O'Reilly (Philadelphia, Pa./Springside) who missed this season due to injury.