The women’s lacrosse team fell in blowout fashion to a pair of nationally-ranked Patriot League opponents, losing to Army West Point and Loyola Maryland University to extend the Leopards’ (0-5 Patriot League, 4-7 overall) losing streak to six.
Freshman attacker Georgia Swarr opened the action Saturday against the No. 16 Black Knights (4-0 Patriot League, 9-2 overall), with the hosts rattling off three straight goals before senior attacker Kristin Igneri responded, cutting the visiting Maroon and White’s deficit to one after eight minutes.
“The mentality going in was just to play fast and play together, and that’s what we did,” Swarr said.
The Black Knights seized control, however, breaking into a 6-0 run stretching into the second quarter before freshman midfielder Emma Toner’s 13th goal of the season briefly stopped the bleeding at 10-3. Unfazed, Army responded with an 11-0 run, holding the Leopards scoreless for the entire third quarter.
“We just couldn’t get the ball down to offense,” Swarr said. “Otherwise, we would have been able to produce a lot more.”
Igneri, Swarr and sophomore midfielder Evelyn Guyer added fourth-quarter goals before a last Black Knight goal brought the final tally to 22-6. Senior goalkeeper Kennedy Carr tallied 10 saves for a .345 save percentage before freshman Molly Cunningham recorded two saves and three goals in relief.
“I don’t think how we played is really reflected in the final score,” Swarr said.
The Leopards came into Wednesday’s home tilt against Loyola (5-1 Patriot League, 9-4 overall) seeking their first victory over the Greyhounds since 1988. Loyola galloped out of the gate, exploding for an 8-0 run sandwiched between two Swarr goals to punctuate the first quarter.
The Maroon and White buckled down in the second, with Carr racking up five saves in the frame. Still, Loyola outscored the hosts 3-2 to head into the halftime break up 11-4.
Carr’s hot hand continued into the third, making another three stops as Lafayette pitched a shutout for the quarter. Swarr and senior attacker Kristin Igneri tacked on goals to cut the deficit to 11-6.
“Kennedy stood on her head,” sophomore midfielder Sadie Martiesian said. “If Kennedy is composed, we’re all composed.”
Igneri appeared to cut the deficit to four early in the final frame, but the goal was discounted for a dangerous follow-through foul. Loyola took control, reeling off four goals straight to put the game out of reach.
“We got a bit lost,” Carr said, singling out the team’s tendency to commit fouls for improvement.
Swarr added her fourth goal of the contest before the visitors tacked on one more goal for the 16-7 final.
“You just gotta put your big girl pants on and keep going,” Martiesian said.
The Leopards will attempt to snap their drought against Bucknell (2-2 Patriot League, 6-4 overall) next Friday.