On Saturday, the No. 19 Georgetown women’s lacrosse team (1-0, Big East) started their season on Cooper Field in dominant fashion, defeating St. Joe’s (0-1, Atlantic-10), 19-5. Senior attacker Michaela Bruno led the way for the Hoyas scoring four goals with four other Hoyas also scoring multiple goals in the season opener. The Blue & Gray put the game away in the first half, scoring 15 of their goals before the halftime whistle.
In the second minute, Bruno started the game off hot for the Hoyas, dribbling in from the left side of the arc and finding the back of the net. Less than a minute later, sophomore attacker Ali Diamond and senior midfielder Natalia Lynch both scored off of a free shot. In the fourth minute, a goal from Hawk junior attacker Sam McGee cut Georgetown’s lead to two.
The Hoyas went on to score five unanswered goals before SJU would find the net again. Bruno scored her second goal of the game, while junior attacker Cameron McGee, junior midfielder Caroline Frock, senior defender Katie Hudson, and sophomore midfielder Jordyn Sabourin each picked up their first goal during that seven-minute span. Hawks’ senior midfielder Bridget Cerciello soothed St. Joe’s suffering momentarily, scoring their second and final goal of the first half.
With 15 minutes left in the first half, the Blue & Gray did not take their foot off the gas as they went on to score seven more goals to close out the half. McGee and Bruno finished off a first half hat trick, while Diamond and Lynch each picked up their second goal of the game. Two more Hoyas found their way into the scoresheet, as sophomore attacker Celia Walsh and senior attacker Emily Ehle each found the back of the net for the first time this season.
The Hoyas controlled possession and took advantage of the nervous SJU players during the first half, outshooting the Hawks 20-5 and committing four fewer turnovers than the Hawks.
Entering the second half, the Blue & Gray laid off the attacking pressure while remaining in control of the game. A minute into the second half, Lynch extended GU’s lead to 14 and picked a hat trick. Once again, Cerciello scored from a free shot for the Hawks, rewarding them for their improved efforts in the second half.
In the 37th minute, Bruno scored her game leading, fourth goal. With 20 minutes left to play, Frock added her second of the game to give the Hoyas an 18-3 lead.
St. Joe’s began to retain possession as the game came to a close. In the 57th minute, junior attacker Stephanie Kelly found the back of the net for SJU’s fourth goal. Six minutes later, Hoya junior midfielder Mary Pagano scored GU’s last goal of the game. In the last minute of the game, McGee picked up a consolation goal as the Hoyas went on to win 19-5.
While SJU crumbled under GU’s strong attack in the first half, the Hawks fought back in the final half of the game. The Hawks took the same amount of shots as the Hoyas and only scored one less goal in the second half, compared to 13 in the first half.
The Hoyas play No.12 Pennsylvania (0-0, Ivy League) this Saturday on Cooper Field at 1:00 p.m. Live stats will be available at guhoyas.com. Follow @GUVoiceSports on Twitter for coverage and continuing coverage of fall sports at Georgetown.
