SYRACUSE, N.Y. – It took extra time, but huge plays from seniors led the Georgetown University women's lacrosse team past the University of Pennsylvania Quakers (12-9) in double overtime 13-12 on Friday afternoon in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Syracuse, New York.  With the win, the Blue & Gray improves to 12-8 on the season and advances to the second round of the tournament for the first time since 2014.
 
"The team showed a lot of resilience today, they kept believing in each other and fought until the very end against a quality opponent in Penn," said Georgetown Head Coach Ricky Fried.  "We're excited to be moving on to the second round of the tournament and looking forward to another good game on Sunday."
 
Senior attacker Taylor Gebhardt (Baldwinsville, N.Y. / C.W. Baker) led the way with seven goals and one assist for eight points.  Junior attacker Michaela Bruno (Garden City, N.Y. / Garden City) notched a hat trick, and senior midfielder Francesca Whitehurst (Baltimore, Md. / Roland Park Country School) had a goal and three assists along with seven draw controls on the afternoon.
 
The Hoyas were outshot 35-27 but pulled in 15 draw controls to Penn's 14.  The Blue & Gray committed 21 turnovers and forced 13 by the Quakers.  In the cage, senior Haelle Chomo (Naples, Fla. / Barron Collier) was a force with 10 saves to her credit with many coming in key situations.
 
The Quakers got on the board first with a free position goal, but the Hoyas evened the score on the other end as senior Morgan Ryan (Maplewood, N.J. / Oak Knoll School) buried it to tie the game in the first five minutes of action.  After a Penn shot hit the post, Georgetown moved ahead as Gebhardt connected on a free position to make it 2-1. 
 
Following a drought from both teams, Gebhardt found sophomore midfielder Mary Pagano (Short Hills, N.J. / Pingry School) in the middle and she fired past Mikaila Cheeseman to make it 3-1 at the 19:32 mark in the first.  Off of the ensuing draw, Whitehurst would pull it in and score to give the Blue & Gray the three-goal lead as continue the GU momentum with a 4-0 run.
 
On the defensive end of the field, Chomo came up huge with back-to-back saves as Georgetown held Penn scoreless for exactly 15 minutes before the Quakers put together a 3-0 run of their own to tie the game at four with 9:23 left to play in the first.  Following a media timeout, Georgetown came back with two quick scores as Bruno spun around the defense for the goal and Gebhardt added her second of the afternoon on an assist from Pagano.    
 
Penn stopped the run with a man-up goal and then added another to tie it with under a minute to play in the half.  The score would stand as the teams went into the break tied at six.
 
GU scored off of the opening draw as Whitehurst found Gebhardt for the hat trick and to regain the lead.  The advantage would stand for just seconds as Penn connected on a free position shot on the other end and then added another on the man-up goal. 
 
Bruno answered back with her second goal of the contest to tie it up at eight, but Penn would have a quick retort.  Bruno continued to shine with her third of the game knocking down a free position goal to tie the game at nine.  The Quakers came back with a pair of scores as Penn took the two-goal lead with 9:36 left in the game.
 
With the Quakers holding their largest lead of the contest, Gebhardt lined up and hit the free position shot to pull within one.  Georgetown came away with the ensuing draw and Gebhardt took it to goal to tie the game up at 11 with 6:50 left forcing a Penn timeout.  Out of the timeout, Gebhardt continued to be unstoppable as she scored her fifth of the game on a pass from Whitehurst as GU regained the lead 12-11 with 6:19 left to play.
 
The game wasn't even close to over as Penn tied the game at 12 at the 2:39 mark.  Both teams had late chances, but regulation ended tied forcing Georgetown's second-consecutive overtime game.
 
Penn pulled in the draw in overtime and had a shot, but Chomo came up with a huge save.  On the other end, Whitehurst's shot hit the crossbar just inches from ending the game.  The Quakers called timeout and set up a play but it was Chomo again who played the hero to come up with the stop forcing another overtime period.
 
Penn ran it down getting off a shot with one second left on the shot clock on the next possession.  The Quaker was fouled on the shot and given a free position which Chomo once again stopped.  Georgetown came down with a chance, but keeper Krissy Kowalski made the save. 
 
The Quakers got the draw to start the second overtime and it was Chomo again with the save as it banged off of her helmet. In the final seconds of the period, a Penn turnover gave GU the ball.  Junior midfielder Natalia Lynch (Smithtown, N.Y. / Smithtown West) picked up the ball and the Hoyas were able to get a timeout to set up a final play.  The Blue & Gray passed it around as the clock wound down until Whitehurst found Gebhardt who shot it past Kowalski on the right side to score the game winner with two seconds remaining making the final 13-12.  The win marked Georgetown's second-consecutive double overtime victory.
 
Georgetown will face fifth-seeded Syracuse University Orange on Sunday at 3 p.m. at the SU Soccer Stadium.  The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3 and live stats will be available at www.GUHoyas.com.  Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for youth ages 18 and under and for students from participating institutions.  They can be purchased through WeAreGeorgetown.com or at the stadium.