WASHINGTON – The No. 23 Georgetown University women's lacrosse squad could not overcome a second half run, falling 16-9 to No. 14 Navy (10-3) on Wednesday evening at Cooper Field. With the loss, the Hoyas drop to 7-6 overall with one nonconference game remaining on the schedule.
 
"We were 3-of-16 shooting in the first half and the second half they dominated draw controls and possession," said Georgetown Head Coach Ricky Fried.  "If we would have shot better in the first half, they would have had to change their defense in the second so our stickwork and our shooting were our own worst enemies.  Give them credit, they're big, they're athletic and they play hard, but we helped them look really good tonight."
 
Senior midfielder Francesca Whitehurst (Baltimore, Md. / Roland Park Country School) and junior attacker Michaela Bruno (Garden City, N.Y. / Garden City) led the way for the Blue & Gray with two goals and two assists apiece. Senior attacker Taylor Gebhardt (Baldwinsville, N.Y. / C.W. Baker) managed two goals, while junior attacker Emily Ehle (Baldwinsville, N.Y. / Christian Brothers Academy) and freshman attacker Ali Diamond (Lafayette Hill, Pa. / Plymouth-Whitemarsh) both had a goal and an assist in the contest.
 
Georgetown was outshot 32-25, but the defense forced 16 Midshipmen turnovers while giving up 15 of its own. On the draw, GU pulled in 11 draw controls to Navy's 16. Freshman midfielder Jordyn Sabourin (Catonsville, Md. / Notre Dame Prep) had five in the game, and Whitehurst managed three.  Senior goalkeeper Haelle Chomo (Naples, Fla. / Barron Collier) notched six saves in the contest. 
 
The Hoyas got on the board on the first possession of the game as Ehle found Bruno to the right of the cage to put the Blue & Gray on top 1-0.  Navy came right back with a free position goal on the ensuing draw to equalize.  The game became a defensive battle as both squads had chances over the next 16 minutes, but neither could convert.
 
At the 12:41 mark, Navy buried a goal and then added another on the next possession to make it 3-1 and cap off a three-goal run. 
 
Georgetown answered right back as junior midfielder Natalia Lynch (Smithtown, N.Y. / Smithtown West) found senior attacker Morgan Ryan (Maplewood, N.J. / Oak Knoll School) for the score, and Diamond hit Whitehurst to tie the game at three just a minute later.
 
The Midshipmen would regain the advantage with two scores late in the half to make it 5-3 at the break.
 
Navy struck first in the second half, but a free position shot from Gebhardt and then another in the run of play from Whitehurst cut the deficit to one, 6-5, at 26:51. 
 
The teams continue to match as Navy scored but it was Ehle who quickly found the back of the net off of the ensuing draw control. 
 
The Midshipmen would make it 8-6 at the 22:28 mark, but Whitehurst connected on her second of the game two minutes later.  Navy answered again with a 2-0 run to put the Mids ahead by three and force a Hoya timeout.
 
Out of the break, Georgetown caused a turnover on the draw and then battled through the defense as Whitehurst passed it to Diamond in the middle of the field for the score.  Navy put together a 6-0 run before a goal from Bruno ended the momentum. The comeback would never come, however, as that was the last score of the game for both squads making the final 16-9. 
 
Georgetown will continue BIG EAST conference play on Saturday as the squad travels to Villanova for a 1 p.m. matchup against the Wildcats at Villanova Stadium.  Live stats and a webcast will be available at www.GUHoyas.com.