JU Women Fall to #17 Navy 17-9 as 13 Goal First Half Puts Game out of Reach; Boyle and Samuels 2G Each in Loss
via JU press release/website
Dolphins Comeback Falls Short Against Nationally Ranked Navy
Jacksonville Fla. – The Jacksonville women’s lacrosse team, despite a valiant effort, dropped a close one to 17th-ranked Navy Saturday in The Rock Stadium.
SCORING LEADERS
GOALS – Brianna Samuels (2); Mackenzie Boyle (2); Maddy Orefice (1); Allyx Berry (1); Hudson Gentile (1); Jenna Peed (1); Julia Nicholson (1)
HOW IT HAPPENED
After an intense first five minutes marked by strong defensive plays from both teams, the Dolphin defense forced a turnover that led to a ground ball for midfielder Lauren Ellis. Ellis successfully cleared the ball, and attacker Hudson Gentile scored a goal with an assist from Mackenzie Boyle, putting the Dolphins ahead 1-0 with 10:58 remaining in the quarter. However, Navy rallied back, tying the game and ultimately taking a commanding five-point lead by the end of the quarter, with the score at 6-1.
The Dolphins swiftly responded in the second quarter. Midfielder Maddy Orefice capitalized on a free position shot to score, followed shortly by another Dolphin drawing a Navy foul, resulting in a second successful free shot by Julia Nicholson, marking her first goal of the year. Navy began a 3-0 run in the middle five minutes of the quarter, before senior Brianna Samuels broke the streak with a goal at the 7:43 mark, bringing the score to 9-4. The remainder of the quarter saw back-and-forth scoring, with Navy leading 13-6 at halftime. Additional goals for the Dolphins came from Jenna Peed and a man-up goal by Boyle. Navy finished the half strong with four unanswered goals, leading 13-6 at halftime.
The third quarter proved pivotal for the Dolphins in their comeback bid, with both their offense and defense shining as they outscored the Navy 3-1. Midfielder Allyx Berry contributed to the scoreboard, while Boyle and Samuels each secured their second goals of the day, narrowing the gap to five points at 14-9 heading into the final 15 minutes of play.
Despite the Dolphins’ hopeful third-quarter performance, Navy regained momentum in the final quarter, responding with a 3-0 run and effectively shutting down the Dolphin offense to secure the victory.
UP NEXT
The Dolphins return home on Saturday, March 16, to host Princeton. The game is slated for a 11 a.m. start time.
