It was a record-breaking season for Georgetown women’s lacrosse, but it ended in an all-too-familiar manner, with a loss to eventual national champion Maryland in the NCAA quarterfinals. That 7-6 overtime loss took nothing away from the Hoyas’ success in 2000, as the team finished 12-5 and ranked No. 7 in the nation.

Riding a fierce attack featuring All-Americans Sheehan Stanwick and Erin Elbe and solid goaltending from then-junior Bowen Holden, Georgetown put together a pair of four-game win streaks and an 8-0 home record. Georgetown showed it could compete with any team in the nation while climbing to a program-high ranking of No. 4 in the nation in April before bowing out in the postseason.

However, it is the NCAA loss to Maryland that is most memorable from last year’s season. It was the second straight year that the Terrapins eliminated the Hoyas in the national quarterfinals, the loss coming in a heartbreaking fashion for Georgetown.

The first round of the NCAAs saw Georgetown defeat Syracuse 11-10, the Hoyas’ second victory over the Orangemen on the season. After building a pair of leads that Syracuse slowly chipped away at, Georgetown pulled away for a three-goal lead and was able to hold on in the closing minutes for the one-goal victory that set up a second-round rematch against Maryland.

The No. 1 ranked and heavily-favored Terrapins brought out the best in the Hoyas, and Georgetown put forth an inspired performance that left them just a single goal shy of upsetting the five-time defending national champions. Attacker Erin Elbe found the back of the net four times for the Hoyas, who were the only team to challenge the Terrapins during the NCAA tourney.

Head Coach Kim Simons described the game as one of the best and most exciting he has ever been involved in.

“I was extremely proud of how our team played,” he said.

Georgetown wound up in the national quarterfinals by playing consistently throughout the season, suffering only one major letdown while dominating on the home turf of Kehoe Field. The Hoyas won by an average margin of 7.5 goals while going undefeated at home, but it was the road that proved to be Georgetown’s undoing, as the team struggled to a 4-5 mark away from the Hilltop.

The season began auspiciously for the Hoyas, who won their first four games before dropping back-to-back road contests to Princeton and Duke. Quickly getting back into the saddle, Georgetown won four straight again, including a dominating six-goal victory over North Carolina.

As the end of the season drew near, it was up and down for the team, as a hard-fought two-goal road victory over No. 4 James adison was followed the next week by a disappointing loss to Penn State.

While the team’s success set new standards for Hoya women’s lacrosse, a few individuals distinguished themselves as the anchors of the program.

Sheehan Stanwick set school records in both career goals and points while leading the team in goals and assists, while her younger sister Wick started her own career by finishing tied for fourth on the team in points. In goal, Holden finished fifth in the nation in save percentage, her best performances occurring in tight contests.

With a constantly growing group of talented players at her disposal, coach Simons brought the Hoyas one step closer to a coveted national championship during the 2000 season and continued to raise Georgetown’s prominence in women’s lacrosse circles.

There is no doubt that 2001 will bring more of the same.