WOMEN’S LAX Georgetown Is Back On Track No. 2 GU Gets Win at JMU By Derek Richmond Special to The Hoya

Charles Nailen/The Hoya Junior defender Melissa Biles, shown here in earlier action, helped stop James Madison yesterday.

When a team loses one game, it’s only a loss. Two, and it becomes a pattern.

The Georgetown women’s lacrosse team, ranked No. 2 in the country, avoided such a pattern yesterday afternoon when they defeated No. 11 James Madison University, 9-8 in Harrisonburg, Va.

The Hoyas’ hopes for a perfect season ended last Sunday with their upset loss to UNC. This week they were looking to avoid falling into a slump and were in danger of doing so until senior attack Erin Elbe scored the go-ahead goal with just 19 seconds left in the game.

Georgetown (9-1) led 1-0 just over a minute into the game off a goal from senior midfielder Kate Ahearn. The Dukes (7-7) of JMU scored two straight to take the lead and the next six minutes consisted of a series of lead changes interrupted by three ties.

Elbe scored the first of her two goals in the game to tie it up at two. Freshman midfielder Allison Chambers followed a minute and a half later to put the Hoyas up by one. James Madison responded to knot the score again. Elbe fed junior attack Wick Stanwick to give Georgetown another lead.

The Hoyas’ lead only lasted for 30 seconds, however, as James Madison scored three consecutive goals and looked like they were going to go into the half leading 6-4, until junior midfielder Liz Ryan cut the lead to one with three seconds left.

The Dukes opened the second period quickly, scoring their seventh goal of the contest less than a minute in to the half. Down two goals, the Hoyas picked up the pace. Sophomore midfielders Gloria Lozano and Anouk Peters each capitalized on a free position shot to tie the game.

Stanwick scored Georgetown’s third consecutive goal to give the Hoyas the lead with 18 minutes remaining. The score remained unchanged for the next 10 minutes. JMU senior Kristen Dinisio, who led all scorers, scored her fourth goal. It would be the Dukes’ last.

As the end of the game approached, Georgetown gained possession of the ball. Junior defender Melissa Biles brought the ball upfield for the Hoyas, passing it off to Elbe. With less than 20 seconds to go, Elbe found the back of the net, putting the shot past JMU goalie Amy Altig.

Elbe and Stanwick had two tallies apiece in the victory. Hoya senior goalkeeper Chandler Vicchio kept 10 balls out of the cage while only allowing eight goals, despite JMU outshooting the Hoyas 27-22. James Madison also held the advantage in assists, but Georgetown finished ahead in goals. The loss was the Dukes’ fourth one-goal loss of the season and their second loss in the last three games.

The Hoyas look to continue their winning ways this weekend. They begin a three game home series this Sunday, taking on Big East opponent Boston College. The Eagles are coming off an 11-7 loss to Big East foe Connecticut. The Eagles are 7-5 overall, 1-3 in Big East play after the loss. The game starts at noon on Harbin Field. On Tuesday the Hoyas will play the College of William & Mary at home. The Tribe is 4-9 after a loss to No.14 Maryland. Draw will be at 4 p.m.