The Quakers Advance With a 12 – 9 Win Over the Loyola (MD) Greyhounds
May 12, 2024 –
The next game for the University of Pennsylvania women’s lacrosse team is a national quarterfinal match, an Elite Eight game, at top-seeded Northwestern. The eighth-seeded Quakers move on in the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Tournament after defeating Loyola 12 – 9 at Franklin Field via a team effort.
“We have a saying ‘Penn Pride’ and they just showed that today,” said Penn Coach Karin Corbett. “I really felt that they dominated the game. To do that to Loyola twice this year is pretty impressive. That was just an all around team effort. I’m just so proud of them.”
Different Players Step Up for the Red and Blue
The Quakers got off to a good start taking a 2 – 0 lead early in the game. The Greyhounds would stay in contention. The game was tied at halftime, then Penn would move ahead by a pair of goals. After three quarters the gap was 7 – 6 in favor of the Red and Blue. The game would tilt in Penn’s direction when they would score four of the next six goals.
What propelled the red and Blue would be two goals each scored by; Maria Themelis, Niki Miles, Anna Brandt, Catherine Berkerey, and Lexi Edmunds. Add in the initial career goal by Izzy Rohr. In a true team effort contributions came from many sources.
“We came in with a game plan of it’s going to take all seven of us,” said Penn midfielder Anna Brandt. “It doesn’t matter who who puts it in the back of the cage at the end of the set, as long as we are generating looks and generating goals.”
Defense the Key
Loyola is a powerful offensive team averaging 15.8 goals per game ranking 8th nationally. Midfielder Chase Boyle scored the most goals in Division I with a total of 83. Their lowest offensive output for the season stood at 6 against Penn. The 9 goals scored in this game is their second lowest number. The Greyhounds did have more draw controls 17 – 8 and shots 32 – 27. However, that did not translate into goals. Turnovers stymied their offense with 13 miscues to 7. And in goal the Quakers goal keeper Kelly Van Hoesen saved 12 shots. Penn plays through its defense.
“On the defensive end we have a saying called ‘Feel the Fear, feeling the fear the attacks are playing against,” Rohr said. “On attack you want to dictate the defense and make them move and our goal is to dictate the offense. I think we did that well, our zone shifting as one.”
Firsts for Rohr
Rohr, the senior defender from Malvern, scored her first collegiate-goal at the 9:33 mark in the third quarter, She took a pass and ran down the right-center of the field and sent a shot past Greyhounds keeper Lauren Spence for a 6 – 4 Quakers lead. Something that had not happened for the stalwart defender in college.
“I’ve never really wanted to shoot because if I miss, then I’m the one running all the way back,” Rohr explained. “Usually I don’t but my head went blank and I was running in there and no one really slid to me. Obviously, they weren’t prepared for me to shoot because I never had before. It was just great. It was a great momentum goal. It was really exciting. I’m 100% shooting.”
What the Numbers Say
Brandt led the team with 3 goals giving her 58 for the season and 136 for her career ranking third in program history. Junior Attack Erica Chung handed out 3 assists. She came in ranked 13th in the nation in assists and now has 51 total.
For Loyola Boyle scored twice and assisted two times. She leads the nation in goals, now with 85. Junior Attack Georgia Latch scored a team-high 3 goals and has 62 for the year. She assisted in the game. Anna Ruby and Sydni Black found the back of the net two times each. Regan Kielmeyer handed out 2 assists.
The Quarterfinal Round
Penn travels to Evanston, IL to meet top-seeded Northwestern on May 16. Another team effort will be needed, and is expected by the Red and Blue.
“If we play with Penn Pride, we play as one, we’re going to be just fine,” Brandt said.
“Or Philly Gritty,” Rohr added.
The Quakers did not make Ivy Madness two years ago. Last season they played Boston College eye-to-eye in the Sweet 16. The improved effort from last year will help this year.
“I’m hoping that that loss from BC not only fueled this year, and will help them going into Northwestern playing confidently and not being nervous,” Corbett said. “Obviously, we are playing the national champion. But I do think that was to be seen is helpful for them to know they can hang with anybody.”
Northwestern is 16 – 4 in games against Penn and have won the previous two meetings. The last was a 17 – 9 win on the Penn Park turf on April 3, 2022. The last Penn win was in Evanston 10 – 7 on the second of April of 2017.
This will be the sixth time Penn will play in a quarterfinal round game, the last in 2016.
Written By: Glenn Papazian
Contact: Glenn@PhillyCollegeSports.com
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