If there is anything to be said about women’s lacrosse as a sport, it is that draw controls win games. Both the Georgetown Hoyas (0-1, 0-0 Big East) and the Drexel Dragons (3-0, 0-0 CAA) can attest to this statement, as each team’s success in the draw circle determined the numbers on the scoreboard throughout the entirety of Saturday’s contest.  

The Georgetown women’s lacrosse team finally returned to the field with its first matchup of the season against the Drexel Dragons on Saturday. Despite a continuous back-and-forth battle for possession in the first half, Drexel secured a 21-9 victory over the Hoyas. 

This spring has already distinguished itself from past seasons for Georgetown. Because of the extension of NCAA eligibility gained from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hoyas returned five out of eight seniors from last spring, making this year’s rosters one of the largest to date. Additionally, having not practiced together during the fall, Head Coach Ricky Fried and the Hoyas will continue to experiment with both new and returning players on the fly. 

The Dragons entered their match against the Hoyas with a two-game winning streak, including a thrilling overtime win against St. Joseph’s last week.  

Georgetown set the tone early in the contest through its success in the draw circle, with help from the meticulous efforts of junior midfielder Jordyn Sabourin combined with the speed of graduate midfielder Natalia Lynch. Sabourin, the leading draw specialist for the Hoyas, squared up against Drexel attacker Courtney Deitzel and successfully converted her dominance on the draw circle into a 4-1 lead for the Hoyas with 26:31 remaining in the first half. 

In addition to a sneaky finish in the crease by attacker Colleen Grady to put Drexel on the board, the Dragons quickly responded with three more goals to cut into Georgetown’s early lead. Only nine minutes into the contest, the score had become a close battle, with the Hoyas leading 5-4. 

Heading into the second half of the match, the Hoyas and Dragons were neck and neck, tied at seven each. The Dragons immediately capitalized on their earlier missed efforts in the draw circle, turning these possessions into what would be their first lead over Georgetown for the afternoon. 

Aiming to put a stop to Drexel’s success, Fried initiated a timeout for the Hoyas two minutes into the second half. Upon returning, senior midfielder Caroline Frock answered back to the Dragons’ streak with a speedy cut down the middle to score the Hoyas’ eighth goal of the game. 

The Dragons, however, found their rhythm, with Grady facilitating Drexel’s offensive dominance in the second half. The Hoyas issued a number of adjustments to counteract Drexel’s efforts, with senior defender Mollie Miller squaring up against Grady to keep her in check, as well as initiating a swap in draw specialists, replacing Sabourin with first-year midfielder Emma Driggs. 

Despite Georgetown’s efforts, Drexel’s offensive push ultimately surpassed the Hoyas’ ability to control. A running clock was issued on behalf of the Dragons’ ten-goal lead, giving them even more momentum offensively as the game drew to a close.  

Despite the loss, Georgetown still has plenty of time to make its mark on the 2021 season. Possession was the name of the game for Georgetown on Saturday. The Hoyas will be ready to bounce back Friday against Delaware (1-2, 0-0 CAA) at 3 p.m.