It was the classic “underdog win” and a “complete game” according to Coach Karin Corbett with No. 14 Penn women's lacrosse taking on the No. 5 Loyola Maryland.
Loyola had been on a winning streak, and never lost on the road this season before taking the field against Penn. A chill air and overcast skies did nothing to dampen the Quakers' spirit, as they fought hard from beginning to end to win with a dominant 13-6 win.
“That’s when we’re at our best … when the whole offense is working together,” Corbett said. “To cap Loyola to only have 6 goals, [which] is usually a very high-scoring team, so that was just fantastic.”
Loyola’s (13-2) squad brought in a large crowd, who were very vocal in their support of the Greyhounds, shouting when they got possession or came close to the cage. But Penn (10-3, 3-2 Ivy) remained unfazed, keeping its eyes on the game.
“Honestly, I didn’t really notice it that much,” junior attacker Anna Brandt, who scored a game-high total of four goals, admitted. “When I’m on the field, I’m focused on my teammates [and the] energy from our bench.”
The game opened with a slow quarter, with the first score of the game — by Penn — happening more than 8 minutes in. The offensive and defensive rhythms of both teams were equal, with Penn tying the game and then Loyola finding a way to sneak another goal in. Finally, the Penn offense found their rhythm first, going on a 4-0 run to close out the first half with a strong 7-4 lead.
Penn opened the second half by further putting its foot on the gas. Penn’s dominant defense forced Loyola into a shot clock violation, giving Penn a chance to score. Which the team did, after excellent, swift passes, and a sure goal by freshman attacker Catherine Berkery just over four minutes into the third quarter.
The Quakers gave Loyola no chance to recover, with junior attacker Keely Block throwing a sneaky pass to senior attacker Lexi Edmonds from behind the cage. Edmonds then scrambled to find an open shot and threw it in, widening the gap to 9-4. The assist was Block’s third of the game, proving her keen eye and quick decision-making.
“It’s a lot of trust,” Block said. “And we do it every day at practice.”
Penn’s defense stayed on its toes even as the offense kept up the pace, with senior defender Grace Fujinaga getting a steal, which senior attacker Niki Miles converted into a transition goal.
Desperate to put up numbers on the scoreboard, Loyola tried to find a hole in Penn’s defense with a methodical passing approach, only for the Greyhounds to come up empty. The third quarter ended with senior goalkeeper Kelly Van Hoesen saving an ill-placed shot and keeping the Penn lead.
“[Loyola’s] a really dynamic offense,” Brandt noted about the opponent. “They find holes in the zone … so we were just trying to play lock-down defense, [with] lots of communication.”
The plan worked, as the Penn Quakers managed to keep Loyola scoreless in the entire third quarter. The Greyhounds, looking to find some momentum and give themselves a fighting chance, opened the final quarter with two goals, the first of which came thirty seconds in.
“We woke up at that moment,” Brandt said.
The team’s play reflected that sentiment as Hoesen managed to put a stop to Maryland’s offense by saving two Loyola shot attempts. The offense also got the memo, with Brandt getting the ball and weaving herself through multiple Greyhound defenders to swing the ball in down center of the cage, making Penn’s lead 12-6.
As both teams picked up the pace with only several minutes left in the quarter, crowds on both sides started to get antsy. Cheers got louder and shouts for “blow the whistle” rang through the air. The Red and Blue responded with a game-sealing goal. Brandt, again, came through for Penn, scoring her fourth goal. As the clock winded down to a close in the final ten seconds, Penn fans started cheering, and the Quakers cradled the ball before streaking down the field running in celebration.
“We rose to the occasion and took every possession seriously. That was mainly our focus coming in, taking every possession and not taking anything for granted,” Block said about the win.
“We have to prove that we can play at this level, at this pace, at this standard no matter who we play,” Coach Corbett said.
And at least tonight, the Quakers did.
They look to do the same against Brown this Saturday, April 20, here at Franklin Field.
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