GAINESVILLE, Florida – Belle Mastropietro scored four goals, while Charessa Crosse and Bridget Whitaker added hat tricks as Temple took a 16-11 win against Vanderbilt Thursday in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Women’s Lacrosse Championship at Donald R. Dizney Stadium, sending the Owls to championship final for the first time.
 
The Owls will face top-seeded Florida, a 19-6 winner against Cincinnati earlier Thursday, in Saturday’s championship final at noon ET on ESPN+.
 
Mastropietro scored three goals in the second half as the Owls (12-4) broke open an 8-4 halftime lead with four consecutive goals to start the period. Mastropietro scored back-to-back goals in that stretch, connecting on a drive-and-dodge with 23:29 left to give Temple an 11-4 lead and completing a hat trick on a free position attempt 1:07 later to give the Owls a 12-4 cushion.
 
Crosse, who had been limited to one goal in only four games during the 2021 season, enjoyed the best game of her career as she scored two goals as part of Temple’s 6-1 run in the first half, and completed her hat trick with a score early in the second half to give the Owls a 10-4 cushion.
 
Vanderbilt (12-6) was able to close within six as the Commodores strung together back-to-back goals as Cassidy Orban struck from a free position and Bri Gross was able to cut through the arc and score to make it 12-6 with 19:40 left.
 
The Owls answered with three quick goals in succession, however, as Mastropietro picked up her fourth on a free position 53 seconds later, and Whitaker connected on successive goals 34 seconds apart to give the Owls a 15-6 advantage with 17:10 to play.
 
Vanderbilt scored five of the game’s final six goals as Cassidy Orban picked up her fourth and fifth tallies of the game to bring the Commodores within five with 1:30 to play, but the Owls were able to win the ensuing draw and effectively run out the remaining time.
 
Shana Hecht made six saves in 40:20 to get the win in the cage for the Owls, while Olivia Martin played the final 19:40 and made five stops. Mastropietro led the Owls with five points (4g, 1a), while Whitaker (3g, 1a) and Meghan Hoffman (2g, 2a) had four points each.
 
Orban led all players with her five goals for Vanderbilt, while Gabby Fornia finished with a goal and four assists. Paige Gunning made eight saves in the Commodore cage.
 
Temple’s win sets up the third meeting this season between the Owls and Florida. The Gators took both ends of the regular-season series in Philadelphia, 15-9 and 14-7 in March.