SYRACUSE, N.Y. – In a tense, taut NCAA Championship first-round game that featured eight ties and needed nearly nine minutes of sudden-victory overtime to be decided, the University of Pennsylvania women's lacrosse team fell to Georgetown, 13-12.

With the loss, Penn's season ends at 12-6. Georgetown (12-8) moves on to a second-round game against fifth-seeded Syracuse on Sunday at 3 p.m., and in the process avenged a one-goal loss to the Quakers during the regular season. Penn was 6-0 in one-goal games prior to Friday's loss.

Both teams had their chances in the overtime sessions, but it was Georgetown's Taylor Gebhardt who put this game to rest. Her seventh goal of the day came with just two seconds left in the third three-minute extra session.

PENN NEWS AND NOTES
*Sophomore Elyse Decker led the charge offensively for Penn with five goals, marking a new season high and tying her career high set as a freshman.

*Gabby Rosenzweig's six assists are a new career high for the junior and the most for a Penn player since Emily Rogers-Healion had seven last season against Rutgers.

*With 63 assists on the year, Rosenzweig is now Penn's single-season assists leader, surpassing Nina Corcoran's mark of 58 set in 2016. Rosenzweig already set the program record for single-season points earlier this year, ending her junior campaign with 98.

*Zoe Belodeau had three goals and two assists for five points.

*Penn's scoring unit was rounded out by two goals from Erin Barry, and a score apiece from Madison Jiranek and Taylyn Stadler. 

*Freshman Krissy Kowalski entered the game in the first half in goal for the Quakers, boasting an admirable performance with seven saves. 

*With the loss, Penn drops to 14-15 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The loss is the Quakers' first to Georgetown since 2012, as Penn's overall record against the Hoyas drops to 6-2.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Penn—which was making its 13th straight appearance in the NCAA Championship, the fifth-longest streak in the nation—opened the scoring quickly on Friday afternoon, Elyse Decker converting a free-position attempt from up top just 44 seconds into the contest. Georgetown roared past the Quakers after that, however, scoring four goals in less than nine minutes of game action.

Decker ended the skid with a pair of goals 2:10 apart midway through the half, the first off a nice Zoe Belodeau feed and the second off a Gabby Rosenzweig pass to make it 4-3, and then Taylyn Stadler tied it up by sneaking in front and finishing a feed from up top by Erin Barry with 9:23 left in the period.

Georgetown went back in front on a nice individual effort, then took a 6-4 lead by stealing a Penn pass at one end and taking advantage of defensive confusion by the Quakers at the other end. At that point, the Red and Blue changed goalies and moved Krissy Kowalski into the cage for starter Mikaila Cheeseman. The freshman answered the call, coming up with two saves before halftime.

Meanwhile, Penn got back level ahead of the break. The Quakers quickly took advantage of a player-up situation with 4:35 left as Belodeau fed a cutting Madison Jiranek for the freshman's fourth goal this season. Then Decker finished a nice leading feed from Rosenzweig with just under a minute left, her fourth of the game which sent the teams to the locker rooms tied 6-6.

Georgetown finally solved Kowalski just 1:06 into the second half to go up 7-6, but Barry tied it up just 44 seconds later with a free-position goal from up top. Then Decker scored again—her fifth of the day—off a Rosenzweig feed to put the Quakers up 8-7, their first lead since 1-0. The Red and Blue had a chance to go up by two, but a free-position shot went wide and then a turnover allowed Georgetown to come down and tie it up with 24:26 left.

The Hoyas won the ensuing draw, but Penn forced a shot-clock violation and then Belodeau got on the board with her first of the day off a Rosenzweig feed to put Penn up 9-8. More than six minutes went by before Georgetown again tied it up, this time on a free-position shot.

Belodeau had a chance to put Penn back in front with a free-position shot with 13:59 to play, but her shot incredibly hit both posts without crossing the line. However, Barry put the Quakers up a minute later when she beat her defender and scored from right in front. Then Belodeau was true more than three minutes later, Rosenzweig finding her open in front from a free-position set to make it 11-9.

The Quakers had a chance to go up by three after that, but a turnover turned into a Georgetown free-position goal that made it 11-10 with 7:44 left. Then the Hoyas won the ensuing draw and tied it up again just 54 seconds later. With that, Penn head coach Karin Brower Corbett took a timeout. No matter, another Georgetown win on the draw and another goal, this one 31 seconds after the previous, and a 12-11 Hoyas lead.

A huge sequence occurred with 3:37 left. Georgetown had just seconds left on the shot clock, but a Hoyas player inexplicably drove uncontested to the goal. However, Kowalski made the stop, Barry picked up the rebound, and almost exactly a minute later Rosenzweig was finding Belodeau across the front and the sophomore was tying the game up for the eighth time with her third goal and fifth point of the day. Rosenzweig finished the day with six assists.

Georgetown won the next draw and immediately took a timeout. The Hoyas drew up a nice play, getting a player open in front, but her backhanded rising shot was deflected wide by Kowalski and Katy Junior outhustled a pair of Hoyas players to give possession to the Quakers. Penn worked the ball down the field and called a timeout with 1:03 left overall and 55 on the shot clock. However, the Red and Blue could not take advantage of the opportunity and the teams went to overtime.

Bosco won the opening draw for Penn, but Barry's low-angle shot was stopped and Georgetown gained possession. The Hoyas got an open look but it rang off the crossbar and Ellen O'Callaghan scooped up the ground ball to put Penn back on offense. The Quakers got the ball into the attacking zone and Coach Corbett called timeout with just 16 seconds left in the period.

Penn tried to set up a quick-stick for Barry in front as the clock expired, but not only was the junior's shot saved but she was given a yellow card for a dangerous follow-through on her shot. That left Penn down a player heading into the second half of the opening extra session. Penn was able to win the crucial draw and bleed the clock while a player down, and the Quakers even had two chances to win it as Rosenzweig's shot went over the goal from a low angle and then Bosco's free-position effort was saved as the shot clock expired.

Kowalski again bailed out the defense, meeting Georgetown's open look at the right post stick for stick for her seventh save of the day. That was the last opportunity for either team before the period ended.

Penn won the third draw in as many chances in the overtime and Rosenzweig's shot on the doorstep ricocheted wide off the Georgetown goalkeeper's helmet. The Hoyas got the ground ball but their clear attempt failed and the Quakers quickly got the ball back near midfield. However, the Red and Blue turned it over before they could get a shot off and the Hoyas took a timeout in their defensive zone with 37 second left in the period.

Georgetown quickly got the ball down the field and found Gebhardt off the left post for the winning score.