AVE MARIA, Fla. --- The late rally for the sixth-ranked Ave Maria women's lacrosse team came up short on Tuesday afternoon in their top-six battle with fourth-ranked Georgetown College. Trailing by four midway through the second half, the Lady Gyrenes pulled to within one but were unable to get the equalizer.
 
The Gyrenes move to 3-4 on the season as they concluded their fifth game in nine days earlier today. The stretch for Ave Maria included four games against teams ranked in the top-six at the time of the game and one against a NCAA Division II opponent. The other opponent for AMU was receiving votes.
 
The Lady Gyrenes got on the board first when Stephanie Hilker converted a free position attempt nearly four minutes into the game. After a Georgetown goal tied the game, a Tiger's defender attempted to pass the ball back to her goalie during a clear attempt but her pass went wide and into their own net for an own goal to put AMU in front 2-1.
 
Back-to-back goals by Georgetown put them up 3-2 before a Sarah Wade goal off a pass from Georgia Miller evened the game at three. The back-and-forth game continued with the teams exchanging goals to make it a 6-6 game. The AMU goals were by Katelyn Sherman in the man-up situation and Hilker on another free position attempt. The final goal of the opening 30 minutes was by Wade which came with 47 second remaining in half to even the score at the break.
 
The second half began with Georgetown scoring five of the first six goals. The lone goal for AMU during that stretch was by Hilker when AMU was a man-down.
 
Trailing 11-7, Sherman and Miller each found the back of the net to cut it to a two-goal deficit. After a Tigers goal, Hilker converted her third free position goal of the game with 11 minutes to play before Mackenzie Tourville scored with 4:30 remaining to bring AMU to within one.
 
The Lady Gyrenes got a few quality looks and free position attempts in the final minutes but were unable to score to complete the comeback.
 
Hilker led the Gyrenes with four goals. Wade and Sherman each netted two goals for AMU. Wade and Tourville each had four draw controls. Bianca Ballarin made eight saves for AMU.
 
Ave Maria held a slight shot on goal advantage with 24 compared to 20 by Georgetown but the Tigers held a 16-9 edge in draw controls.
 
The Lady Gyrenes now get a well-deserved nine-day break between games as they return to action on March 23 when they travel to Waleska, Ga., to take on Reinhardt.