May 13, 2010

WASHINGTON - The Georgetown University women's lacrosse team (13-5) will host Syracuse (13-6) on Saturday in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament at Multi-Sport Field. The meeting will be the third between the two squads in as many weeks after the fourth-seeded Hoyas took the first two encounters. Saturday marks Georgetown's 11th NCAA Tournament berth in the past 12 years.

The Hoyas earned an automatic bid winning the BIG EAST Championship over Syracuse on Saturday, 13-11. It marked the first BIG EAST Championship in program history after four-straight trips to the tournament final. Saturday's win was also GU's tenth-consecutive victory setting a new program record.

Syracuse is no stranger to the Hoyas who have played the Orange twice in the past two weeks, this weekend will be the third meeting in just 15 days. Georgetown defeated Syracuse 10-9 at the Carrier Dome on May 1 to win the BIG EAST Regular Season Championship and again in the BIG EAST Tournament Championship on May 8 at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, N.J.

The Hoyas are 13-3 against Syracuse all-time and 3-0 over the past two seasons. The teams have met just once prior in the NCAA Tournament as GU downed the Orange 11-10 in the opening round of the tourney in 2000. That year Georgetown fell to Maryland 7-6 in overtime in the second round. The Blue & Gray is 7-0 at home against Syracuse.

Georgetown is 13-11 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The furthest the Hoyas have advanced is to the championship game in both 2001 and 2002.

The Blue & Gray will be one of three BIG EAST Conference teams playing in the 16-team field. Notre Dame also earned an at-large bid and will face No. 2 Northwestern on Saturday.

The opening draw is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Multi-Sport Field. Live stats and a free webcast featuring Chuck Timanus will be available at www.GUHoyas.com. The winner will go on to face the winner of No. 5 James Madison and Stanford.