Greyhounds regain Patriot edge
Mids can’t hold off final run as Loyola takes control of first place in conference
A resilient Loyola Maryland backed up its national standing on Saturday and showed it is still the class of the Patriot League by coming from behind twice to beat host Navy, 16-12.
The sixth-ranked Greyhounds trailed 4-1 and 12-11 to the No. 12 Mids, but on each occasion ran off long stretches of goals to take command of the game. The first time, they scored seven straight goals to go from three down to four up, the largest margin of the game.
In the second half, Navy had rallied from four goals down to score five straight times for an 11-10 lead. The teams traded goals, then the Greyhounds ran off the game’s final five scores to douse the Mids’ hopes of an upset similar to the one they pulled in last year’s league tournament.
“We are a little disappointed. Loyola is incredibly tough. We got a good start and then they came back with a big run,” Navy coach Cindy Timchal said. “We responded in the second half, then they came back again.
“A couple of things didn’t go our way, we could have cleaned up a few things, we could have used a couple more goals. Losing to Loyola is a tough loss for Navy lacrosse,” Timchal said. “I’m disappointed in the loss but proud of my team for fighting all the way.”
The win gave the Greyhounds (9-3, 5-0) their 39th straight regular-season conference win since joining the league in 2014. It was also Loyola’s fifth win in eight games against nationally-ranked teams. Twelfthranked Navy, which handed Loyola its only conference loss of any kind to win last year’s tournament, fell to 4-1 in league play and stands 9-3 headed into Wednesday’s game with nationally ranked Virginia.
“There has been so much talk around Loyola and Navy and the rivalry, and that’s a great thing,” said Loyola coach Jen Adams. “On the same token we look at every game as important and tried to look at this as just another game we needed to win.”
As they have all season, the trio of Livy Rosenzweig, Hannah Savage and Taylor VonThof paced Loyola’s offense. Savage had a career-best four goals and two assists, VonThof also had four goals and Rosenzweig had three goals and three assists. Sam Fiedler netted a pair of goals, as well.
“One thing our team is, is resilient. I’m proud of the way we played,” said Savage, who scored two of the Greyhounds’ final three goals. “(After the loss to Navy), we obviously still have a lot to prove, we didn’t accomplish all we wanted to. We have unfinished business from last year.”
The key in both Loyola runs were draw controls, as was the case when Navy went on its scoring runs. For the game, Loyola led in that category, 18-12, winning control prior to every one of its final five goals. The Greyhounds also outshot the Mids, 43-35, and led in free position goals, 3-1, and ground balls, 21-19.
“I think it all begins with draw control, because if you don’t have possession, you can’t score,” said Rosenzweig, who had seven draw controls. “Key ground balls is what got us back in it and key stops on defense. Draws and finishing our shots were key to us coming back.”
Navy’s offensive stars also stepped up. Kelly Larkin scored four goals and two assists. Andie O’Sullivan, Meg O’Donnell and Kayla Harris (Broadneck) added two goals apiece.