Senior midfielder Kellee Pace scored a career high four goals for the lacrosse team in a 15-12 victory against the Lafayette Leopards at Geasey Field on Saturday afternoon.
Temple (4-0) finished the first quarter of the 2013 regular season with a perfect record after a back and forth battle against Lafayette (4-1). This is the Owls’ second consecutive 4-0 start to begin a season.
“The difference in the game, for us, was that we’re able to tough it out, stay strong, and honestly, we had a few players just ready to keep pushing and keep the goals going,” coach Bonnie Rosen said.
Pace’s career high four goals against Lafayette gives her nine total goals this season, which also ties a career high.
“It’s nice when the whole team is working together,” Pace said. “They see you and you can finish and work for the team really well”.
Junior attacker Jaymie Tabor scored three goals, while senior midfielder Stephany Parcell and freshman attacker Rachel Schwaab added two goals each. Parcell also recorded a game high three assists.
Senior midfielder Charlotte Swavola, junior midfielder Kelly Syphard and freshmen midfielders Nicole Tiernan and Kirstie Connor each recorded a goal.
Connor led Temple with four draw controls, while Swavola and Tabor tied with three apiece.
After subbing in for senior goalkeeper Meghan Clothier, in the second period, redshirt freshman Jaqi Kakalecik notched her first career win. Both goalies recorded three saves.
“Meghan was playing a fine game, but it was worth trying to change up and change what their attackers were seeing,” Rosen said.
For the Leopards, their four game winning streak and undefeated record are both ended with the loss. Senior attacker Addie Godfrey scored a game-high six goals for Lafayette. The goalie tandem of junior Meghan Curtin and sophomore Mimi Connell recorded eight total saves.
After a couple quick back to back goals by Godfrey, Lafayette held a 3-0 lead, to start the first period. Defensive miscues and missed shot opportunities forced Temple to take an early timeout.
“We knew Lafayette was going to be tough. They’ve been playing tough and that’s exactly what they did. They put a lot of pressure on us,” Rosen said.
Out of the timeout, the Owls went on a 9-2 run, including five unanswered goals by Swavola, Tabor, Schwaab and Parcell, to give Temple a 9-5 lead.
“They came out really strong,” Tabor said. “I don’t know why, but we played like we were scared, in the first couple minutes. Then we finally got over that”.
With 3:16 left in the first period, Lafayette would answer back in a hurry with three unanswered goals, cutting the lead to one, before halftime.
At the start of second period, Lafayette’s junior midfielder Ana White scored a goal which tied the game at nine.
Late in the second period, with the game knotted up at twelve and a tight 20-plus minute span, which saw neither team hold more than a one point lead, Temple went on an unanswered run.
“It was really nice not to have to struggle from being down the entire game and find it at the end. The key was staying tough and staying in the moment. I think they did a very good job of not hanging their heads,” Rosen said.
At the 7:28 mark, Connor scored her first career goal, which broke the tie and began a run of three consecutive Temple goals. Schwaab and Pace would add two more goals, to close out the game and put the game out of reach.
Brien Edwards can be reached at brien.edwards@temple.edu or on twitter @BErick1123.
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