Temple University Athletics
Photo by: Tommy Meehan
Lacrosse Set to Face #2 Florida in BIG EAST Semifinals on Thursday
5.2.17 | Women's Lacrosse
PHILADELPHIA - For a second year in a row, Temple will face #2 Florida in the BIG EAST Lacrosse Championships presented by Jeep. The fourth-seeded Owls (13-4) will take on the top-seeded Gators (15-2) in the tournament's first semifinal at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 4 at Villanova Stadium. For tickets to the semifinals and to Saturday's championship game, click HERE. The second-seeded Georgetown Hoyas will square off with third-seeded Denver in the second semifinal at 7 p.m., with both games streaming on the BIG EAST Digital Network.
Temple knows well what it's up against in matching up with the powerhouse Gators after hosting Florida in its final home game on April 22. It was the Owls' only loss of the season at Howarth Field as Florida won, 15-5. Florida leads the all-time series 6-0, but Temple had its best outing against the Gators in the first of two meetings in 2016, losing just 10-9 in Gainesville. Temple never trailed by more than two, but was unable to score the equalizer it needed in the final four minutes. In the BIG EAST Championship game on May 7 of last season, the Gators beat the Owls 16-4.
No. 2 Florida ran the table in the BIG EAST yet again this year, going 9-0 to win its third consecutive league championship. The Gators have beaten five ranked opponents this season, taking down #3 USC, #5 Syracuse, #7 Stony Brook, #13 Denver and #16 Towson. Four Florida players have tallied 59 or more points this season, led by senior attacker Sammi Burgess with 69 points (33 goals, 36 assists). Senior attacker Mollie Stevens is the scoring leader with 47 goals, also leading the team with 93 draw controls. Senior defender Caroline Fitzgerald (40 ground balls, 21 caused turnovers) and sophomore goalkeeper Haley Hicklen (122 saves, .500 save percentage) have anchored the Gator defense.
The Owls are making their second-straight appearance in the BIG EAST Tournament since joining the league as an associate member in 2014. Last year, the third-seeded Owls made their first-ever appearance a big one, advancing to the championship game after taking down second-seeded UConn 12-8 in the semifinals. Over 17 years in the Atlantic 10 Conference from 1999 to 2013, Temple advanced to the A-10 Tournament a total of 13 times. The Owls earned five titles including one under current head coach Bonnie Rosen in 2008.
Temple had won six straight games before suffering the recent loss to Florida. The Owls had another setback to end the regular season, falling 19-15 in a high-scoring affair at UConn on April 29.
With its 13-2 start, Temple tied the best start for the program since the 1997 season. The Owls are now 13-4, tying their win total of 13 from 2016 which was then the best since 2008. The Owls were picked to finish fifth of 10 teams in the BIG EAST this season, but bettered that spot by one to earn their tournament appearance.
Temple has won eight of its games by two goals or less, and has won six times when tied or trailing in the final 10 minutes. Down 10-8 at Vanderbilt with 11:32 remaining, Temple scored the final three goals in a thrilling win. Seniors Carly Demato and Brenda McDermott scored four goals apiece, with Demato getting the game-winner with 64 seconds left. Freshman goalkeeper Maryn Lowell made a career-high 17 saves at Vanderbilt, the second-most saves in the BIG EAST this season. She was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week for a second time, and is 10-3 in the cage overall.
McDermott notched six straight hat tricks before the loss to #2 Florida, and leads Temple with 37 goals and 32 assists for 69 total points (33rd in NCAA Division I). Her 4.06 points/game rank fifth in the BIG EAST, as do her 1.88 assists/game. The first of McDermott's six straight hat tricks came in a 17-16 overtime victory against Marquette on March 25 in the Owls' BIG EAST home opener, in which she scored the OT game-winner.
Demato tallied her seventh hat trick of the season with four goals at UConn this past weekend. She ranks second on the team with 33 goals and is also second with 41 total points.
Three-time BIG EAST Midfielder of the Week, senior Morgan Glassford, has a team-best 69 draw controls and ranks fifth in the league with 4.20 draws per game. During the first half of the Villanova win on April 8, Glassford became the all-time career leader at Temple in draw controls, and has now recorded 170 career draws.Â
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Temple knows well what it's up against in matching up with the powerhouse Gators after hosting Florida in its final home game on April 22. It was the Owls' only loss of the season at Howarth Field as Florida won, 15-5. Florida leads the all-time series 6-0, but Temple had its best outing against the Gators in the first of two meetings in 2016, losing just 10-9 in Gainesville. Temple never trailed by more than two, but was unable to score the equalizer it needed in the final four minutes. In the BIG EAST Championship game on May 7 of last season, the Gators beat the Owls 16-4.
No. 2 Florida ran the table in the BIG EAST yet again this year, going 9-0 to win its third consecutive league championship. The Gators have beaten five ranked opponents this season, taking down #3 USC, #5 Syracuse, #7 Stony Brook, #13 Denver and #16 Towson. Four Florida players have tallied 59 or more points this season, led by senior attacker Sammi Burgess with 69 points (33 goals, 36 assists). Senior attacker Mollie Stevens is the scoring leader with 47 goals, also leading the team with 93 draw controls. Senior defender Caroline Fitzgerald (40 ground balls, 21 caused turnovers) and sophomore goalkeeper Haley Hicklen (122 saves, .500 save percentage) have anchored the Gator defense.
The Owls are making their second-straight appearance in the BIG EAST Tournament since joining the league as an associate member in 2014. Last year, the third-seeded Owls made their first-ever appearance a big one, advancing to the championship game after taking down second-seeded UConn 12-8 in the semifinals. Over 17 years in the Atlantic 10 Conference from 1999 to 2013, Temple advanced to the A-10 Tournament a total of 13 times. The Owls earned five titles including one under current head coach Bonnie Rosen in 2008.
Temple had won six straight games before suffering the recent loss to Florida. The Owls had another setback to end the regular season, falling 19-15 in a high-scoring affair at UConn on April 29.
With its 13-2 start, Temple tied the best start for the program since the 1997 season. The Owls are now 13-4, tying their win total of 13 from 2016 which was then the best since 2008. The Owls were picked to finish fifth of 10 teams in the BIG EAST this season, but bettered that spot by one to earn their tournament appearance.
Temple has won eight of its games by two goals or less, and has won six times when tied or trailing in the final 10 minutes. Down 10-8 at Vanderbilt with 11:32 remaining, Temple scored the final three goals in a thrilling win. Seniors Carly Demato and Brenda McDermott scored four goals apiece, with Demato getting the game-winner with 64 seconds left. Freshman goalkeeper Maryn Lowell made a career-high 17 saves at Vanderbilt, the second-most saves in the BIG EAST this season. She was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week for a second time, and is 10-3 in the cage overall.
McDermott notched six straight hat tricks before the loss to #2 Florida, and leads Temple with 37 goals and 32 assists for 69 total points (33rd in NCAA Division I). Her 4.06 points/game rank fifth in the BIG EAST, as do her 1.88 assists/game. The first of McDermott's six straight hat tricks came in a 17-16 overtime victory against Marquette on March 25 in the Owls' BIG EAST home opener, in which she scored the OT game-winner.
Demato tallied her seventh hat trick of the season with four goals at UConn this past weekend. She ranks second on the team with 33 goals and is also second with 41 total points.
Three-time BIG EAST Midfielder of the Week, senior Morgan Glassford, has a team-best 69 draw controls and ranks fifth in the league with 4.20 draws per game. During the first half of the Villanova win on April 8, Glassford became the all-time career leader at Temple in draw controls, and has now recorded 170 career draws.Â
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