Intracity foe Temple drops W. Lax on rainy afternoon

The Penn women's lacrosse team walked off a rain-soaked Franklin Field yesterday after a disappointing 12-8 loss to Temple.

The loss evened the No. 19 Quakers record at 2-2 and marked their second straight defeat.

Penn has now split its two games against regional opponents, having defeated Lafayette, 14-5, earlier in the season.

"We knew Temple was coming out to beat us," Penn second-year attacker Chelsea Kaden said. "And we didn't capitalize on the opportunity."

Kaden netted one goal on the day -- her first of the year.

"We were definitely disappointed," Penn sophomore midfielder Lindsey Cassidy said. "We didn't play like our normal selves today."

Cassidy finished the day with one goal and seven stitches after being checked in the head by an opposing player's stick.

Junior goalkeeper Alaina Harper mirrored Cassidy's thoughts.

"We had the tools to win, and we didn't," she said. "Clearly, people are disappointed."

Although the game was played in a steady rain and frigid temperatures, the Quakers did not see the poor playing conditions as an excuse.

"The weather didn't play a big part," Kaden said. "We are always outside practicing in all sorts of weather all year, and it usually works to our advantage."

Also, working to Penn's advantage was its balanced offensive attack. Seven players scored the Quakers' eight goals.

Quakers freshman midfielder Katie Spofford chipped in two for the Quakers, upping her total to five on the year.

The Red and Blue -- trailing, 6-5, going into halftime -- found themselves in a similar position to the Yale game after a slow and unproductive start.

"We just came out flat and didn't expect to play the way we did," Kaden said. "This game should have been a good win for us."

Freshman Kate Miller tallied the Quakers' seventh goal with 8:22 remaining in the game to draw the Red and Blue within two goals of the Owls, 9-7.

In the end, however, Temple would prove to be too much, scoring three straight, unanswered goals to put the game out of reach.

Kaden salvaged some of the Quakers' pride by scoring Penn's eighth and final goal with 15 seconds remaining in the contest.

"It's important not to give up in games like the one today," Kaden said. "You don't want to lose by too many goals because of regional and also national rankings."

The Quakers will look to get back on the winning track Saturday against Cornell. Penn will travel to Ithaca in hopes of securing its first Ivy League victory of the season and avenging last year's 10-5 loss to the Big Red.

"Cornell is a huge game for us in the Ivy League," Harper said. "We can turn it around this weekend, and I definitely think we have the ability to do that."

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