Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

WOMEN’S LACROSSE | Freedman, Dominant Start Help Hoyas Past Hopkins

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FILE PHOTO: ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA
Following a heartbreaking loss to Duke, junior midfielder Kelyn Freedman registered five goals and one assist in a bounce-back win over Johns Hopkins Wednesday night.

After a heartbreaking one-point loss to Duke last week, the Georgetown women’s lacrosse team (5-1) soundly defeated Johns Hopkins (4-2) 15-8 Wednesday night in a matchup nationally televised on ESPNU.

The Hoyas jumped to an early lead and never relinquished it, repeatedly winning draws and forcing turnovers to gain possession. The Hoyas also relied on an impressive five-goal, one-assist performance from junior Kelyn Freedman and numerous free-position goals to both build and maintain their lead.

Junior midfielders Hannah Franklin gave the Blue and Gray an early two-goal lead in the first half, scoring both goals on free position shots. Minutes later, it looked as if Georgetown would widen the lead to 3-0 as freshman attack Corinne Etchison streaked down the field toward an open cage. Hopkins’goalie Cosette Larash, however, managed an extraordinary diving save to slow the Hoyas’ momentum, and the Blue Jays responded a minute later on the other end of the field scoring to cut Georgetown’s lead to one point.

The Hoyas responded in a big way, scoring five unanswered goals to go up 6-1. In the waning minutes of the first half, the Hoyas traded goals with the Jays to hold a commanding 8-2 lead going into the break.

Head Coach Ricky Fried was pleased with his team’s performance in the first half, especially in comparison to how the team came out against Duke.

“I think we played looser — we played with more confidence,” Fried said. “It’s always easy when the first couple shots go in because you feel a little bit more positive, whereas in the Duke game, the first couple shots didn’t go in, and I think we got a little tight.”

The second half started just like the first, with Georgetown scoring off a free-position shot from Freedman. Minutes later, senior attack Dina Jackson threaded the needle perfectly to get the ball to sophomore attack Caroline Tarzian, who sprinted up the field and buried the shot in the back of the net to put the visitors ahead 10-2.

The Hoyas’ defense also had an exceptionally strong day, holding Hopkins’ leading scorer, freshman midfielder Dene’ DiMartino, scoreless until five minutes into the second half. Fried credited improved communication as the key to the defense’s success on the day.

“[We had to] figure out when to double and when not to double,” he said. “I think the big mistakes in the Duke game were that we got antsy and we became reactive. [We] had two and three people playing together as opposed to seven. Last night, we had all seven people playing on the string, reacting at the same time.”

After DiMartino’s goal, the Hoyas scored two of their own to go up 12-3 with 18 minutes left to play. The Jays were not going to make it easy, though, and scored two goals in under a minute to pull within seven. Not willing to give Hopkins a chance to get back in the game, Georgetown tallied one of its own before Fried called a timeout.

“They were beating us to the 50/50 balls and outhustling us a little bit,” Fried said. “[The players] responded to what we talked about at the timeout, and they came out and got the next couple draw controls, which is what we were looking for.”

The Hoyas scored two more goals, including a beautiful fake-low, shoot-high goal from Freedman off a free position. Hopkins scored three more goals after the timeout, but it was too little too late.

Free-position goals, which Fried says the team is continuously working to improve on, undoubtedly helped seal the victory for the Hoyas.

“We want to shoot about 55 percent. There is still a defense out there and there’s still a goalie, so [free positions are] not just a gimme,” Fried said.

The Hoyas were 6-of-7 from the hash marks, well above that 55-percent goal and markedly better than they performed against Duke, when they went 1-7.

Though Freedman scored three of her goals from the arc, she was quick to credit her team with her career-high scoring performance.

“I think it’s more like a team thing. The way I got my goals is really exciting because it was in a bunch of different ways, and I think that reflects on what our whole team did throughout the game,” Freedman said afterward.

According to their coach, the Blue and Gray won because they were able to finally play at the level at which they are capable — something Fried emphasize after the game.

, we don’t want to play to the scoreboard [and] we don’t want to play to the opponents’ jersey. We want to play our brand of lacrosse as often as we can,” Fried said.

Georgetown takes the field next against No. 3 North Carolina on Saturday in Chapel Hill.

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