For a young Loyola women's lacrosse team, yesterday's 12-11 loss to No. 5 James Madison was more about growing than about losing.

The No. 9 Greyhounds rallied from a 12-6 deficit early in the second half to challenge the Dukes in the final seconds.

With seven seconds to go, Katie Robinson fed Megan Santacroce for the transition goal, after Chelsea Morley had forced a turnover at the other end, to cap a 5-0 run and pull Loyola within 12-11.

Loyola's Suzanne Eyler controlled the final draw, but the ball bounced to the sideline before she could contain it. There wasn't enough time left for another shot.

"When it was 12-6, probably most of the people in the stands were thinking this game could be 20-6 very easily," said Loyola coach Diane Aikens. "I told my team we have nothing to be ashamed of, coming back against a team that has almost their entire team back from last year."

The Dukes (2-1) ended Loyola's 21-game, Colonial Athletic Association regular-season win streak. The Greyhounds, who won last year's CAA tournament, had gone 6-0 in the conference each of the last three years.

But the Greyhounds (1-2) lost 17 players from last season and return just five starters.

"We're asking young players to play not young," said Aikens, who starts four sophomores and three freshmen. "We have no one from the past who has any experience at this level, against this kind of team. We're talking about freshmen stepping up and doing a great job."

Yesterday's game at Curley Field marked the conference opener for both teams and the Greyhounds came out strong, taking an early 4-1 lead.

Then James Madison All-America attacker Megan Riley, who finished with three goals and three assists, made her presence felt.

Riley, a South River graduate who set single-season team records for assists and points last year, scored three of the Dukes' next four goals and assisted Michelle Zurfluh for another in the final second of the half.

After the break, the teams traded free-position goals before the Dukes took off on a 5-0 run. In just five minutes, they ran their lead to 12-6, capped by a second straight Jamie Pleyo-to-Zurfluh combination with 22: 20 left.

"Our fast break just lit everything up," said Dukes coach Jen Ulehla. "Our fast break off the draw, getting down, being able to score -- we've been working real hard on that. Our attack was clicking."

Through the middle of the game, the Dukes dominated possession, including winning seven of the first nine draws in the second half. They had a final edge in draw controls (17-8) and in ground balls (22-16), but late in the second half, Loyola began winning more of the loose balls.

The Greyhounds began to rally with 17: 51 left when Santacroce fed Robinson for a goal. Eyler and Stacey Morlang then scored before Danielle Battersby converted a ground ball to pull Loyola within 12-10 with 6: 48 left.

Morley and Dana Cappello had fine defensive plays to force turnovers, but the Greyhounds could not convert until Santacroce's final goal. Goalie Tricia Dabrowski (15 saves) stopped Alivian Coates with 4: 49 to keep the Greyhounds' upset hopes alive.

James Madison 6 6 -- 12

Loyola 5 6 -- 11

Goals: JM--Riley 3, Zurfluh 3, Martinez 2, Dinisio, Marion, Tweel, Pleyo; L--Santacroce 2, O'Shea 2, Eyler 2, Battersby 2, DiTommaso, Robinson, Morlang.

Assists: JM--Riley 3, Martinez 2, Pleyo 2, Tweel, Zurfluh; L--Battersby, Santacroce, Robinson. Saves: JM--Corradini 10; L--Dabrowski 15.