WEST POINT, N.Y. — #17 Army West Point women’s lacrosse didn’t just beat Marist on Tuesday — it buried the Red Foxes.
Army (2–0) rolled to a 23–7 win, turning a ranked early-season matchup into a four-quarter statement and sending a message to the rest of the country: the Black Knights are playing faster, sharper, and more ruthless than their current number suggests.
And now, the timing gets interesting.
Army’s next opponent, Northwestern, took a major hit earlier in the day when Colorado stunned the Wildcats — a result, 10-9 to the Buffaloes, that will likely knock Northwestern down from its former No. 2 spot. Where the Wildcats land next is still to be determined, but Army won’t care.
The Black Knights are going into that matchup with momentum, confidence, and the kind of edge that comes from believing you’re better than your ranking — and playing like it.
Army never let Marist breathe
Marist (1–1) came in undefeated, but Army made sure that didn’t last.
The Black Knights opened with a 6-goal first quarter, then detonated the game with a 9-goal second, taking a 15–4 lead into halftime. From there, Army stayed disciplined and kept pressing, outscoring Marist 8–3 over the final two quarters.
Scoring by quarter
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marist | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| Army | 6 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 23 |
How it happened: a blitz, then a chokehold
The Black Knights’ intent was obvious almost immediately.
0:15 — Reilly strikes first. Allison Reilly opened the scoring 15 seconds in, finishing a look set up by Chloe Garrett.
Marist briefly answered, but Army’s response was the story of the night: win the draw, pressure the ball, and turn possessions into goals.
10:11 — free-position finish, and the floodgates open. Lily Valentini buried a free-position goal to make it 6–1, and Army never let the Red Foxes back into the game.
From there, the Black Knights stacked goals in waves:
- 7:41 (1Q): Valentini finished again off a feed from Garrett
- 7:57 (1Q): Ryan Remaly cashed in, assisted by Reilly
- 6:33 (1Q): Emma Ciocon scored off a Reilly assist
The second quarter turned into a full-on avalanche.
0:29 (2Q): Reilly scored to push the lead to 15–4, and Army kept pouring it on with a mix of free-position execution, ball movement, and relentless draw control.
A key stretch came after Marist’s timeout:
- 8:12 (2Q): Duffy scored off a Reilly assist
- 8:27 (2Q): Duffy scored again just 15 seconds later
- 9:04 (2Q): Valentini finished again, assisted by Reilly
Army’s pressure showed up on the stat sheet, too. Brigid Duffy and Chloe Garrett both forced turnovers in the first half, and Army’s clean clearing (17-for-17) kept Marist from generating any sustained momentum.
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Reilly ran the show
If you want the headline inside the headline, it’s this: Allison Reilly controlled the game.
Reilly finished with 5 goals and 7 assists for 12 points, setting the tempo early and never letting Marist settle. She was the engine behind Army’s ball movement, the finisher when needed, and the playmaker that turned good possessions into goals.
Army also got big-time production from its other stars:
- Lily Valentini: 6 goals, 1 assist (7 points)
- Brigid Duffy: 4 goals, 3 assists (7 points)
- Chloe Garrett: 2 goals, 2 assists (4 points)
Marist’s best answer was Kathryn Staker (3 goals, 1 assist), but Army’s pace and pressure made it impossible for the Red Foxes to keep up.
The numbers that mattered
Army didn’t win because it got hot for a stretch. It won because it dominated the game’s most important areas.
- Assists: Army 17, Marist 2
- Shots: Army 37, Marist 21
- Shots on goal: Army 29, Marist 14
- Draw controls: Army 21, Marist 8
- Clears: Army 17-for-17, Marist 14-for-19
- Caused turnovers: Army 11, Marist 4
Even in goal, Army held steady. Lindsey Serafine made 7 saves, and while Marist’s goalkeepers combined for 10 saves, the volume and quality of Army’s looks eventually overwhelmed them.
What’s next: Northwestern, and a chance to make a national statement
Northwestern’s upset loss to Colorado changes the optics — but it doesn’t change the opportunity.
Army is 2–0, playing with a clear identity, and showing the kind of depth and firepower that makes top programs uncomfortable. The Black Knights won’t be sneaking up on anyone now, but that’s fine.
This team looks like it’s built to take control of games, not survive them.
If Army brings the same tempo, the same precision, and the same edge to the Northwestern matchup, the Black Knights have a real chance to rain on the Wildcats’ parade — and force the rankings to catch up.
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