Loyola University Maryland’s women’s lacrosse team came into Saturday’s Patriot League Championship game having won 11 games in a row, and the red-hot Greyhounds looked to claim their fourth consecutive Patriot League Championship title. Loyola had five members of the all-tournament team and Sydni Black ‘24 was named tournament MVP. The win granted Loyola, ranked ninth in the nation, an automatic bid for the NCAA tournament and a chance at the national championship. This marks the seventh Patriot League Championship for Loyola women’s lacrosse under head coach Jen Adams. Army played a much better game than their first meeting, switching out their zone defense to woman-on-woman and playing a much more competitive game than their first matchup a few weeks ago.  

Loyola coach, Jen Adams spoke about her team’s success this season. 

“We’ve put everything out there on the field this season and I am extremely proud of the games that we have played, the level of competition we’ve played, and how we’ve persevered through,” Adams said.

After winning the initial face-off, the Greyhounds immediately pushed the pace on attack and scored their first goal only 59 seconds into the game. Chase Boyle ‘25 scored that first goal with the assist coming from Emily Wills ‘23. Loyola won the next face-off and the team’s MVP quickly resumed the attack. Black scored again a few minutes later, making the score 2-0. Loyola’s defense was stifling to begin the game, preventing Army from taking accurate shots on goal. Eventually, Army was able to answer, bringing the score to 2-1. However, Loyola quickly answered back with an unassisted goal coming from Emily Wills. West Point was able to score again and Loyola led 3-2 at the end of the first quarter. 

As the game wore on, Loyola was methodical in attack, maintaining possession and carefully picking their shots. Georgia Latch ‘25 was the beneficiary of their patient attack, scoring an unassisted goal five minutes into the second quarter. Army answered back a few minutes later. Graduate student Jillian Wilson scored a goal with 30 seconds left in the quarter. Loyola won possession back on the ensuing face-off with time running down. With only a few seconds left in the quarter, a cross-check from an Army player earned a yellow card and stopped the clock. Sydni Black capitalized on the opportunity, scoring a goal with only 1.4 seconds left in the half. Loyola went into halftime with a 6-4 lead and outshot West Point 21 to 13.

Army head coach, Michelle Tumolo, spoke about Loyola’s run at the end of the half saying, “That was a momentum shift but we kept our heads up high… we almost beat them in every statistical category but that was great showing against a team like that.” 

As the second half started, an incredible save from Lauren Spence ‘25 allowed Loyola to go on the attack. Wills once again scored an unassisted goal and the Greyhounds had all the momentum. Immediately after the Greyhounds’ goal, Army once again earned themselves a yellow card. Within seconds of the yellow card, Boyle scored another goal for the Greyhounds. Less than a minute later, Meg Hillman ‘23 scored while slashing toward the goal and drawing yet another Army yellow card. Halfway through the third quarter, the score stood at Loyola 9, West Point 4. Black earned herself a hat trick on a fast-break goal assisted by Sarah Engle ‘24.

Two and a half minutes into the fourth quarter, Black scored once again to bring the score to 11-6, in favor of Loyola. Another big save from Spence returned possession to Loyola soon after Black scored her fifth goal of the day. Halfway through the fourth quarter, Hillman scored again and brought the score to 13-6 and put the win out of reach for Army. West Point was able to score two more goals before the end of the game, but it was too little, too late. 

Loyola’s win has given them the home-field advantage for the upcoming NCAA tournament. The first round will take place at Ridley Athletic Complex on Friday, May 12. The Greyhounds will face Fairfield University at 3 p.m.

Coach Adams was optimistic about their chances in the tournament and said, “Our mantra all season has been anyone, anywhere, anytime. I think this all bodes well going into the playoffs…we’re happy to be dancing.”