Feb. 27, 2008

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason women's lacrosse team earned one of the biggest victories in the history of the program on Saturday when it upset Johns Hopkins, ranked ninth by the IWLCA and 11th by Inside Lacrosse at the time of the game. The victory garnered national attention yesterday as the Patriots entered the latest Inside Lacrosse Media Poll as the 20th-ranked team in the country. Mason earned another ranking today, when the IWLCA Poll was announced with the Patriots ranked 17th in the nation.

In the 15-year history of the women's lacrosse program, George Mason has finished the season ranked five times by the IWLCA, with a high of 14th following the 1999 season. The Patriots have only defeated one other team more highly-ranked than Johns Hopkins was on Saturday. Mason defeated No. 6 James Madison 7-6 during the 2001 season. The Patriots finished that season ranked 18th by the IWLCA.

Trailing 10-9 late in the second half of Saturday's game, the Patriots answered when junior attacker Brittany Berger scored her second goal of the game with 5:10 remaining. After a couple minutes elapsed, freshman attacker Madalyn Jamison fired a shot past Johns Hopkins' junior goalkeeper Amelia Harris to give Mason the lead at 11-10 with 2:39 left in the game. It was Jamison's second goal of the game, and proved to be the game-winner. The Colonial Athletic Association recognized Jamison for her outstanding debut at Mason by naming her the CAA Rookie of the Week on Monday.

George Mason plays its second game of the season this afternoon at 3:30 p.m. against Georgetown in Washington, D.C. The Hoyas have opened the 2008 season with two consecutive victories and are currently ranked ninth by the IWLCA and 13th by Inside Lacrosse.

IWLCA Division I Weekly Poll
(Feb. 26, 2008)
1. Northwestern
2. Virginia
3. Duke
4. Syracuse
5. Maryland
6. North Carolina
7. Princeton
8. Penn
9. Georgetown
10. Notre Dame
11. Vanderbilt
12. James Madison
13. Yale
14. Johns Hopkins
15. Denver
16. Boston University
17. George Mason
18. Penn State
19. Oregon
20. Dartmouth
Also receiving votes (in alphabetical order): California, Hofstra, Rutgers, Temple