Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/17/24
From Press Releases
The No. 14 University of Pennsylvania women’s lacrosse team opened the 2024 campaign on Saturday afternoon at Franklin Field, toppling Drexel, 11-8, for the 11th straight season-opening victory for the Quakers.
Six different Quakers scored in the victory led by senior captain Niki Miles with a hat trick, adding an assist for four points. *In her first game back since 2022, junior Keeley Block notched a pair of goals including a behind-the-back finish. Junior Anna Brandt and senior Kaitlyn Cumiskey each added two goals.
Junior Erika Chung led the team with a game-high four assists.
Defender Lizzy Rohr (Episcopal Academy) led the Penn defense with a groundball and a caused turnover.
Thanks to hat tricks by Alex Wall and Corinne Bednarik (Down9ngtown West, 3A, 4DC), the Dragons pulled the lead to within two before a late goal sealed the deal for the Quakers. The Dragons fall to 2-1 while Penn wins to go to 1-0 on the season. Jenika Cuocco had 15 saves including 10 in the second half while allowing only two goals in the final two quarters. She added seven groundballs.
Villanova 16, Bucknell 12
The host Wildcats picked up their first win of the campaign amid a snowy scene.
Kayla Gulmi led the Wildcats with a five-point day of one goal and four assists, while Sydney Pappas contributed a four goal performance to pace Villanova (1-1).
Freshmen Mary Moore (first career hat trick, three ground balls) and Rose Christie (two goals, one assist) each provided a good deal of offense for the ‘Cats, with Elena Torres (two goals) and Sami Carey (one goal, one assist) also adding multiple points. Mary Kate Conniff moved into the top 10 in program history in caused turnovers in the win.
Cate Gallagher totaled a .500 save percentage with 12 stuffs in the contest, freshman Emma Verhoest led the game with 14 draw controls and Juliet Walls tied for a game-high three caused turnovers. Cailin Harrington (Owen J. Roberts)added two groundballs.
Delaware 13, Mount St. Mary’s 9
A five-goal third quarter for the Blue Hens proved to be the difference, and the Hens improved to 3-0. The win for Delaware makes it the first time the Blue Hens have started off a season 3-0 under head coach Amy Altig.
Riley Gillin (Academy of Notre Dame) scored a hat trick while finishing with five points. Delaney McDaniel returned to action with a goal and two assists and Madison Hranicka secured five ground balls.
Virginia 14, Princeton 11
Freshman Kate Galica (Conestoga) had a goal, a caused turnover and three draw controls, Kacy Hogarth (Agnes Irwin) had a goal and a groundball and Devon Whitaker (Episcopal Academy) had two draw controls and a groundball for UVA (3-0).
McKenzie Blake (Haddonfield) had a goal and an assist, two groundballs and seven draws while Elie Mueller (Radnor) had five draws for the Tigers, who dropped their opener.
Columbia 8, Lafayette 7
Freshman Michelle Zhai (Methacton) led the Columbia offense, netting a hat trick in her first game while dishing out two assists and adding two groundballs while Dani Falcone (Academy of Notre Dame) contributed five groundballs, two caused turnovers and two draws in the win.
Romano, Abby had two goals and two assists for the Leopards.
