James Madison and East Carolina continued their strong starts to the 2023 season as they came away with road wins Saturday afternoon. The Dukes pulled away for a 19-8 win at High Point, while the Pirates held off Queens for an 11-9 victory in Charlotte.
Florida and Temple fell to top-25 opponents. The No. 7 Gators dropped a 14-13 heartbreaker to No. 6 Maryland, which got the game-winning goal in the closing seconds. The Owls were on the short end of a 17-9 final score against No. 17 Princeton. Old Dominion fell at Delaware, 18-9.
NO. 13 JAMES MADISON 19, HIGH POINT 8
HIGH POINT, N.C. – Isabella Peterson tied her own single-game program record with eight goals as No. 13 James Madison lacrosse routed High Point by a score of 19-8 at Vert Stadium Saturday afternoon.
The Dukes improved to a 3-1 mark on the season while the Panthers dropped to 1-2.
Peterson now holds two of the three eight-goal performances in JMU history. The other one was by Julie Martinez on April 11, 2000.
Peterson added an assist for nine points, one shy of her career high. Senior Tai Jankowski scored four goals for the second consecutive game. Junior Katelyn Morgan and Sophomore Savannah Derey each finished twice for the Dukes.
The JMU defense held its third straight opponent to eight goals or fewer. Mairead Durkin caused three turnovers while Marchetti and Rachel Matey each caused two. JMU also picked up 23 ground balls as a unit, with Matey leading the way with five.
For High Point, attacker Jordan Miles and midfielder Emma Genovese each put up a hat trick while goalkeeper Taylor Suplee made 10 saves, eight in the first half.
Peterson scored at least five goals for the 14th time in her career including the 10th time in the last two seasons. She has 14 goals in two career road games played at High Point.
JMU's seven different goal scorers were the most this season.
The Dukes dominated in the draw circle, out-controlling High Point 21-10.
The 23 ground balls were JMU's most in a game since 24 on April 16, 2022 at William & Mary and also the second-most in all games dating back to last season.
Durkin's three caused turnovers bring her up to 99 for her career, as she is one away from becoming the sixth player in program history to reach 100.
EAST CAROLINA 11, QUEENS (N.C.) 9
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The East Carolina lacrosse team defeated the Queens Royals, 11-9 on Saturday at Dickinson Field. The Pirates were led by Frances Kimel once again with four goals and an assist for a game-high five points.
East Carolina (4-1) jumped out to a quick 5-2 lead through a quarter on the game thanks to goals by Kimel, Sophia LoCicero, Ellie Bromley, Camryn Pennypacker and Rachel Chessock. Queens (0-3) would climb back into the game, however, and the teams found themselves level at nine apiece on a Kayleen Favreau goal with 7:52 to play in the ballgame.
Erin Gulden found an answer, though, to give ECU the lead with her game-winning goals with 2:52 to play in the game. Brynn Knight made a save – one of 11 for her on the day – with 2:19 to play before Kimel fired home the game-sealing tally with 44 seconds to play.
With the win the Pirates move to 4-1 for the fourth time in the program's short history.
NO. 6 MARYLAND 14, NO. 7 FLORIDA 13
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In a battle of two Top-10 teams, the seventh-ranked Florida lacrosse team fell to the sixth-ranked Maryland Terrapins 14-13 in the final minute at Donald R. Dizney Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
After being down four goals at the 8-4 mark in the second quarter, Florida fought back to knot the game at 8-8. From that point on, it was a back-and-forth battle, with Maryland scoring the game-winner with 17 seconds left in the game.
Emma LoPinto and Maggi Hall led Florida’s offensive effort, each tallying four goals on the afternoon. For LoPinto, it was her third hat trick in as many games.
Danielle Pavinelli added two goals of her own, while Tayler Warehime, Ashley Gonzalez and Madison Waters each found the back of the cage once.
Warehime dished out a team-high three helpers on the afternoon, while LoPinto and Paisley Eagan each added one assist.
In the draw circle, Florida won 14-of-30 draws, with Emily Heller (5) and Liz Harrison (4) combining for nine.
Florida’s defense held Maryland scoreless for the middle 33:14 of the game, including a scoreless third quarter. The squad tallied five caused turnovers from five different Gators: Heller, Flaherty, Becky Browndorf, Theresa Bragg, Eagan.
Sarah Reznick recorded a team-high three groundballs, followed by two apiece from Heller and Flaherty.
In the cage, Reznick recorded eight saves to go along with her three groundballs.
NO. 17 PRINCETON 17, TEMPLE 9
PHILADELPHIA – Temple lacrosse (3-2, 0-0 AAC) fell to No. 17 Princeton (1-1, 0-0 IVY), 17-9 on Saturday afternoon. The Cherry and White battled, trailing by just three goals at the conclusion of the third quarter, but a fourth quarter push from the Tigers proved to be enough to earn the win.
Princeton came out strong, netting the first four goals of the game to end the first quarter with the 4-0 lead. Maeve Tobin opened the second quarter with a goal off of a Mackenzie Roth assist, but the Tigers converted twice more to advance the lead to 6-1.
Charessa Crosse and Belle Mastropietro each netted an unassisted goal, closing in on the Princeton lead with five minutes remaining in the half.
The Tigers opened the third quarter with two goals, before Tobin netted her second of the game off a Mastropietro dish, in which the senior grabbed the ball from the air with her back to the net, flipping it behind her for the bouncing finish.
Princeton found the back of the net once more, but Mackenzie Roth answered back for the Owls, keeping their disadvantage to just three goals heading into the final quarter of play.
A strong offensive Princeton performance, which included six goals was split by a Mastropietro goal on a Roth assist, but it wouldn't prove to be enough, ending the game 17-9.
Freshman goalie Riley Horoshko made her first collegiate appearance today, tallying her first career save. Tobin scooped up a career high seven ground balls for the Owls. Mastropietro posted a career best in draw controls, with 15.
DELAWARE 18, OLD DOMINION 9
NEWARK, Del. – The Old Dominion women’s lacrosse team lost to Delaware (2-2) on Saturday, 18-9. Moira Olexa led the Monarchs offensively with three goals and one assist.
Delaware jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first quarter before Olivia Tanneberger scored two goals of her own to even the game up. Sydney Taylor gave the Monarchs (2-3) the lead after she took a pass from Callie Culhane and scored. The Blue Hens added two more goals before the end of the first quarter giving them a 4-3 lead.
Caroline Shaefer tied the game at four to begin the second quarter before Delaware scored two goals making the score 6-4. Olexa trimmed the Blue Hens lead with her first goal of the game, but Delaware would score and take a 7-5 lead into halftime.
Delaware started the third quarter by extending their lead to four before Olexa scored her second goal making it a 9-6 Blue Hen advantage. Delaware scored another goal but Lilly Siskind would answer with a goal of her own making the score 10-7. Delaware went on to score five more goals in the third quarter taking a 15-7 lead into the fourth quarter.
ODU got two goals back when Taylor scored her second goal and Olexa scored her third making it a 15-9 game. That would be all as the Blue Hens tacked on three goals and held on for the win 18-9.
ODU is back in action Wednesday, Mar. 1 when they take on the Longwood Lancers at home starting at 6 p.m.