ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Interstat) — Zoe Mesuch scored 21 points and Navy used a dominant first half to build an insurmountable lead, cruising to a 72-50 victory over Loyola Maryland in a Patriot League women’s basketball game Wednesday night at Alumni Hall.

The Midshipmen (21-7, 14-3 Patriot) seized control with a blistering offensive display over the opening two quarters, outscoring the Greyhounds 46-23 by halftime. The 23-point cushion proved more than enough as Navy maintained a comfortable double-digit advantage throughout the second half to sweep the season series.

Loyola Maryland (12-17, 8-9) started brightly, with Amandine Amorich and Lex Therien combining for the game’s first four points. The early lead was short-lived, however, as Navy responded with a 19-4 run over a five-minute span in the first quarter. The surge was fueled by balanced scoring and stifling defense that held the Greyhounds to just six points in the second quarter.

Mesuch, a 5-foot-5 guard from Clintondale, New York, was the catalyst, hitting 3-pointers and creating shots off the dribble. She added three assists in 29 minutes. Christina Liggio provided a crucial spark off the bench, scoring all 11 of her points in the first half, including a trio of 3-pointers that helped stretch the Navy lead.

Julianna Almeida added 12 points and two assists for the Midshipmen, who shot efficiently from the field while forcing Loyola into 18 turnovers, which they converted into 23 points.

The Greyhounds, who have lost three of their last four, were led by Amorich’s 14 points. The 5-foot-11 forward from Montpellier, France, battled inside but found consistent offense hard to generate against Navy’s defensive pressure. Therien finished with 10 points and Whitley Watkins added six points and two steals off the bench.

The most important sequence of the game occurred late in the first quarter, effectively extinguishing Loyola’s early fight. After the Greyhounds had pulled within 13-10 on an Amorich 3-pointer with just over five minutes left in the period, Navy unleashed a decisive 10-0 run in under 90 seconds. Mesuch ignited it with a 3-pointer, then followed a Greyhounds turnover with a steal and a fast-break layup. Quinn Boettinger capped the burst with an inside score, pushing the lead to 23-10 and forcing Loyola into a timeout. The Greyhounds never recovered from that sudden deficit, as Navy’s lead ballooned to 23 by halftime.

Navy’s depth was on full display, with nine players scoring. Saran Moschella contributed five points and three steals, while Mary Gibbons dished out two assists. Grace Minihane scored all four of her points in the final minutes.

Olivia Shaughnessy led Loyola with four points and two assists, but the Greyhounds struggled to find any sustained rhythm, shooting just 32.8% from the field for the game. They were also hampered by foul trouble, sending Navy to the free-throw line for 26 attempts.

The announced attendance was 557 at Alumni Hall. With the win, Navy solidified its hold on second place in the Patriot League standings with one regular-season game remaining. Loyola Maryland, currently in sixth place, will look to secure its postseason positioning in its finale.

The game was a reversal of the teams’ Jan. 31 meeting, which Navy won 68-62 in a closer contest in Baltimore. The Midshipmen have now won six of the last seven matchups against the Greyhounds.