Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/17/24
From Press Release
The host La Salle women’s lacrosse team opened its 2024 season in a 19-10 win over the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights Friday afternoon. Katie Johnson led, scoring six for La Salle.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
La Salle got off to a red-hot start in the opening minutes of the game. The first goal of the season is credited to Mackenzie Click less than a minute into the contest.
Katie Johnson followed that goal up with one of her own. Johnson pulled in a pass from Sam Klein to get La Salle on top 2-0.
From there, the first quarter was all FDU. The Knights tied the game at the 8:36 mark, and then scored four more after that.
Riley Eaton added two goals for the Knights in that six-goal stretch, before the Explorers would answer back with 14 seconds remaining in the opening frame, thanks to Click.
The Explorers would begin the second down 3-6, but Alana Lathan (Phoenixville, 4G, 3A) and Click teamed up to get La Salle a fourth goal. Lathan assisted on Click’s third goal of the game.
Early in the second, the Knights would continue to answer any goal the Explorers scored. Gina D’Angelo, in her first game with La Salle would score her first goal and make it 6-7.
FDU would answer yet again before Ellen Stickney (Lower Merion, 2G, 3A)) would tie the game at eight goals each. The Knights added one more goal, but Johnson would tie it at nine moments after.
From there, the Explorers exploded for two quick goals to end the half. A free-position attempt by Lathan was successful with 20 seconds remaining. On the ensuing draw control, Maddie Henderson (Harriton) would gather possession and take it down the field for another goal and the 11-9 lead at the half.
To begin the third, the Explorers made a change at goal, inserting freshman Brooke Nelson between the pipes for her first collegiate action. The Explorer offense did not take a break in the third, scoring right out of the gate. D’Angelo added to the goal total to make it 12-9.
Temple 15, Manhattan 6
The Owls defeated Manhattan on a chilly Friday afternoon at Howarth Field, improving to 3-0. Katie Shallow (Cardinal O’Hara) made some history in the game, tying the program record with her 98th career caused turnover.
Belle Mastropietro (Springfield-Delco) recorded her second hat trick of the season, leading the Owls with five total points. Amelia Wright and Camryn Zavacky (Saucon Valley) pitched in two goals apiece, while Maddie Barber (Middle Township-NJ) scooped seven ground balls and caused four turnovers.
How it Happened
> Mastropietro wasted no time getting on the board, winning the opening draw and taking it in herself to put Temple up 1-0. Manhattan tied the score shortly thereafter, but a barrage of scores by Wright, Zavacky, Mastropietro, Mackenzie Roth (Parkland), and Mia Ciancio (Haverford High) put the Owls up 6-1 after one.
> The Owls shutout the Jaspers in the second, holding Manhattan to four shots and forcing six turnovers in the quarter. Mastropietro secured her hat trick less than a minute in, and goals by Wright, Sabrina Martin, and Kaitlyn Stankavage (Garnet Valley) made it a 10-1 Temple lead at halftime.
> Manhattan scored twice in the first four minutes of the third, but Zavacky responded with her second for the Owls. Temple’s defense locked back in to hold the Jaspers scoreless until the 4:02 mark of the fourth quarter.
> Jenna Facciolli (Wilson) netted her first career goal in the fourth, converting off a free-position attempt. Hannah Schrader, Lexi Culp (Cardinal O’Hara), and Katie Flynn (Freedom) added goals for Temple in the final quarter.
Lehigh 8, Jacksonville 7
Senior goalkeeper Hayley Hunt (Penn Charter) and a strong defense and helped lead Lehigh to its first win of the season. Hunt, the Preseason All-Patriot League Team honoree made 16 saves, had two caused turnovers and picked up a ground ball in the road victory.
In the first quarter, graduate student Cassie Marte (Spring-Ford, 3 Draw controls) capitalized on a free position shot and senior Olivia Memeger (Strath Haven, 2G) scored a player-up goal as the Dolphins netted three, taking a 3-2 lead into the second quarter. In last weekend’s game versus Delaware, Memeger tallied two goals. Lehigh shut down Jacksonville in the second quarter, going on a three-goal run from Memeger’s goal in the first into intermission. At 6:09, senior Emma Eberhardt scored her first goal of the season, tying the game at 3-3. Following her hat trick against Delaware, senior Gabby Schneider secured her fourth goal of the season with 0:14 on the clock as the Mountain Hawks led 4-3 at halftime.
Eberhardt opened the scoring in the second half at 12:27, claiming her second of the contest and giving Lehigh a 5-3 advantage. Jacksonville’s Allyx Berry responded with a goal at 11:37, decreasing the Mountain Hawks’ lead to 5-4. In the remainder of the third quarter, Schneider earned her second goal and Eberhardt completed her hat trick as Lehigh took a 7-4 lead into the final quarter.
Jacksonville’s Ainsley Scruggs scored a pair of quick goals in the fourth, closing in on Lehigh’s lead as the Mountain Hawks led 7-6 with 11:43 left in the contest. Memeger gave her team some breathing room with her second goal of the game to increase Lehigh’s lead to 8-6 with just over eight minutes left.
The Dolphins scored with 0:27 on the clock and put the game back in reach with Lehigh leading 8-7. Jacksonville won the draw and Olivia Johnson put a final shot on net as Hunt made the save and sealed Lehigh’s first win of the 2024 campaign.
