Eleven different players scored goals en route to an 18-5 Temple season-opening win for the lacrosse team Saturday at Geasey Field against Niagara.
“It’s fantastic to start off the season 1-0,” coach Bonnie Rosen said.
Thirty-three seconds into the first period, junior attacker Jaymie Tabor scored the Owls first goal of the afternoon. Tabor’s goal set the tone as Temple would score five unanswered goals by senior midfielders Kellee Pace, Charlotte Swavola and sophomore midfielder Molly Seefried, in the first nine minutes of the game.
“I was really impressed with how we came out and took control of the game. I think it was a great opportunity to how we can start a game, take the lead, and finish it,” Rosen said.
After the first period, the Owls would score six more goals, and go into the half with a 12-4 lead against the Purple Eagles.
“It was good that we got off to that start because it built our confidence,” Swavola said, who ended the day with three goals, “We started working really well together. Our offense has a lot of chemistry which takes a lot of practice and game experience.”
Temple would continue scoring in the second period, posting another six goals on the scoreboard.
“We found the net pretty quickly and got a feel for offense. We’ve been pretty patient with our offense,” Rosen said.
Eleven Owls would finish the day with at least one goal including senior midfielder Stephany Parcell and sophomore attacker Macie Hauck, both scoring twice, and fifth-year senior midfielder Jackie Mercer getting a score.
“We saw a lot of good thing out of a lot of different players,” Rosen said. “It was what we were hoping, to use a lot of our personnel, see what’s working, and how to get better. I was really pleased about how a lot of people did and that we got a lot of experience today.”
Four true freshmen, Avery Longstaff, Nicole Tiernan, Rachel Schwaab, and Summer Jaros, would also add to the Owls point total, in their first career game. Longstaff led the freshmen group with two goals.
“As a middy, it’s great to have a deep bench,” Swavola said. “I don’t think it is the 13-point win that will help, I think it is the win and that our freshmen got a chance to play on our home turf.”
The Purple Owls would never get a chance to close the gap due to their inability to get shot opportunities against the combination of new starting goalies senior Meghan Clothier and redshirt freshman Jaqi Kakalecik. The two goalkeepers split time between the bars, Clothier playing the first half and Kakalecik playing in the second.
“It was really fun,” Clothier, who got the win and had three saves in the first period, said. “For the most part, I think I played pretty solid.”
“I feel really good and it was a great experience,” Kakalecik, who made two saves in the final period, said.
The Owls won the possession battle, which limited Niagara’s shot attempts. Temple would finish the game with 35 shots and 17 draw controls, compared to Niagara’s 10 shots and seven draw controls.
“A win like this inspires us to work harder because we want to do this every game,” Swavola said.
Brien Edwards can be reached at brien.edwards@temple.edu or on Twitter @BErick1123.
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