This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Sophia Omuemu.

Junior midfielder Jordy Bathras put the first goal on the board with 28 minutes left in the first half. Thirty-five seconds later, sophomore Jamie Bumgardner followed with a goal of her own.

GW was able to demonstrate its speed on offense, which ultimately led to a commanding 16-7 win over the Mount St. Mary Mountaineers.

“We still were focusing on the same things [like] playing 60 minutes of lacrosse, focusing on our team defense and footwork, and movement on attack,” head coach Tara Hannaford said.

The Colonials’ focus on playing a full 60-minute game was seen when they proceeded to go on a 6-0 run during the first 11 minutes of the half. The run included two goals each from Bathras and junior Terasa Vassallo. Senior Nicole Lacey and freshman Olivia Boudreau added to this run with a goal of their own.

Boudreau was named the A-10 Rookie of the Week last week for her four goals against George Mason.

“The attack was definitely in the attacking mindset,” Hannaford said. “We were going hard to the goal and we were getting opportunities.”

The Mountaineers attempted to close the gap with two back-to-back goals as the first half came to a close. Despite Mount St. Mary’s revitalized energy, Bumgardner was able to keep the Colonials’ momentum high by scoring the final goal of the half with 10 seconds left, increasing the lead to 9-4. Bumgardner ended the game with four goals.

Mount St. Mary entered the second half with two goals but was not able to keep its run alive due to GW’s aggressive defense. Senior goalkeeper and co-captain Jess Hicks led the defense with a total of seven saves.

“We started a off a little slow on defense but as we picked up, communication was key,” Hannaford said.

Similar to the first half, GW went on another 6-0 run that included goals from Lacey, Bumgardner, and Bathras. Lacey tallied a team-high five goals, while Bathras chipped in four.  Despite the Mountaineers’ effort to mount a comeback last minute, the Colonials were able to hold them off with one final goal by Lacey at the 58th minute.

“I think the team played great. The first half was great with how much we were attacking,” Hannaford said.