By: Ellie Kozak
PHILADELPHIA – Temple University’s women’s lacrosse team hosted Colgate, at home, for their 2024 season opener. The Owls clinched an 11-5 victory against the Raiders on Saturday in a balanced offensive attack.
Temple vs. Colgate - PSD Photos by Ellie Kozak
In the opening quarter, Colgate junior Devon Maillet found the back of the net at the 6:22 mark. Two minutes later, senior midfielder Mia Ciancio scored the first goal of the season for the Owls to tie the game 1-1. Graduate student Belle Mastropietro had a great game and scored the second goal for the Owls, giving Temple a 2-1 lead heading into the second quarter. Later in the game, Mastropietro scored another goal, while also tallying an assist.
The second quarter provided more back and forth scoring action. For the Owls, graduate students Maeve Tobin and Julie Schickling and junior Erin King, all scored a goal. Colgate was also able to add a few more points to their total, with sophomore Caroline Panzirer and junior Kait Henning each scoring for the Raiders. At the half, Temple held a 5-3 lead.
Temple secured the win with six more goals in the second half of the game. Mastropietro and Schickling got the scoring started in the third quarter, which was followed by a goal from Camryn Zavacky – her first of the season. Tobin also notched a free position goal to give the Owls a healthy 9-3 advantage. Colgate was able to get another goal from Panzirer to end the third quarter 9-4. Ciancio opened scoring for Temple in the final stanza and Colgate junior Lucy Licata added a goal one minute later. The final goal of the game was scored by sophomore Lexi Culp, a local product out of Cardinal O’Hara High School. This was also marked Culp’s first collegiate career goal for the Owls.
After the game, Temple senior defender Katie Shallow reflected on what to expect from the Owls this season.
“A lot of resilience, working through adversity, competing and getting better with each other every day,” said Shallow, who was just named AAC defensive player of the week after scooping six ground balls and causing five turnovers in the opening victory.
Shallow, another standout at Cardinal O’Hara High School, expressed that some of the goals the team is looking to accomplish this season is working through hardships on both offense and defense. She also stated the end goal is to make it back to the American Conference tournament and possibly even further.
“All the hard work we put in, day in and day out, translates over to the field, as we saw today,” said Shallow.
The 5’4 senior from Havertown, PA also noted that her teams’ chemistry this season is exceptionally strong.
“There’s no class. We are all the same level and we all do it for each other,” said Shallow.
With every victory or loss, Shallow noted that improvements will continue to be made by the Owls this season.
“(We need to) Continue to do the little things,” said Shallow. “Everything is new this year, so we just need to continue working at it.”
Women’s Lacrosse: Temple @TempleOwls (@Templelacrosse) leads at the half against Colgate @colgateuniv 5-3
— Philadelphia Sports Digest (@PhSportsDigest) February 10, 2024
: @ellieekozak pic.twitter.com/4vK5X8uxkV
Women’s Lacrosse Final: Temple @TempleOwls (@Templelacrosse) defeats Colgate @colgateuniv (@ColgateWLax) 11-5 : @ellieekozak pic.twitter.com/zPjHQrBY76
— Philadelphia Sports Digest (@PhSportsDigest) February 10, 2024
Temple will continue its seven-game opening homestand tomorrow as the Owls will host Binghamton at 3 p.m.
Upcoming Home Games:
Temple vs. Manhattan College – Feb. 17 at Noon
Temple vs. University of Delaware – Feb. 21 at 3 p.m.
Temple vs. Yale – Feb. 24 at Noon
Temple vs. Penn – Feb. 28 at 3 p.m.
Temple vs. Saint Joseph’s University – March 3 at Noon