Lacrosse Celebrates Senior Day on Saturday Against Cincinnati

Saturday, April 23

Geasey Field

12:00 p.m.

Temple University

Cincinnati

Temple Seniors (L to R): Jaqi Kakalecik, Kara Stroup, Rachel Schwaab, Kirstie Connor, Avery Longstaff, Kari Longstaff, Megan Pinkerton, Maddie McTigue, Kathryn Skahan, Summer Jaros, Nicole Tiernan, Brenda McDermott and Megan Tiernan.

Lacrosse Celebrates Senior Day on Saturday Against Cincinnati

4.22.16 | Women's Lacrosse

PHILADELPHIA - Thirteen Temple lacrosse seniors will be honored prior to the start of the Owls' home game against Cincinnati (4-11, 0-5) on Saturday, April 23. It's the second-to-last home game for Temple (10-5, 2-3), and the team will celebrate Senior Day prior to the start of its noon game against the Bearcats.

The class being honored includes Kirstie Connor (Westminster, Md./North Carroll), Summer Jaros (West Chester, Pa./Bishop Shanahan), Jaqi Kakalecik (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central), Avery Longstaff (Denver, Pa./Cocalico), Kari Longstaff (Denver, Pa./Cocalico), Brenda McDermott (Harleysville, Pa./North Penn), Maddie McTigue (West Chester, Pa./Villa Maria Academy), Megan Pinkerton (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township), Rachel Schwaab (Baltimore, Md./Catonsville), Kathryn Skahan (West Chester, Pa./Bishop Shanahan), Kara Stroup (Garnet Valley, Pa./Garnet Valley), Megan Tiernan (Turnersville, N.J./Washington Township) and Nicole Tiernan (Turnersville, N.J./Washington Township).

This 13-member senior class has been a part of 35 wins over their four years at Temple. The numbers they've compiled are staggering, including 358 goals, 115 assists, 473 total points, 519 ground balls, 449 draw controls, 326 caused turnovers and 294 saves. They have competed for two years in the highly-competitive BIG EAST Conference, finishing sixth last year and in a tie for fourth the year before. Their non-conference results have been even more impressive, as the Owls have gone 16-3 in non-league games over the last two seasons. Between the 13 seniors they have earned a total of four All-BIG EAST Awards in 2014 and 2015, and three Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team Awards in 2013. The group has earned seven IWLCA Academic Honor Roll awards, and three Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Team awards.

Headlines
• The Owls are 10-5 overall and are coming off a 10-7 win at Villanova on Wednesday, a crucial victory for Temple in keeping its BIG EAST Conference Tournament hopes alive.
• Between Temple, Marquette and Georgetown, two teams will grab the last two spots remaining in the tournament field. The Owls need at least one win to have a chance, but will need to win both of their last two games if Georgetown defeats Marquette on Saturday.
• Senior Brenda McDermott was the leader in the Owls' win at Villanova, scoring three goals and recording two assists. Senior goalkeeper Jaqi Kakalecik made five saves in the contest, including three in the second half to hold off the Wildcats who made a late run.
• Prior to the Villanova win, Temple suffered back-to-back losses against UConn (in OT) and at Marquette. In the 12-10 loss to Marquette, the Owls surrendered an 8-5 halftime lead after the Golden Eagles opened the second half on a 7-0 run.
• The Owls' other game last week was a heartbreaking, 9-8 overtime loss to UConn on April 13. Temple made a second-half comeback after trailing 4-1 at halftime, but UConn controlled both draws in overtime.
• When Temple played #2 Florida in its BIG EAST opener on April 2, it was an extremely tight game throughout and the Owls just fell short by a score of 10-9. Two of the Owls' five losses have come to teams ranked in the IWLCA Top 20 (also #16 Louisville, 8-5 on Feb. 12).
• Temple earned a 7-3 win over Vanderbilt on April 9, holding the Commodores without a single goal for over 50 minutes to end the game.
• The Owls won seven in a row early in the season, their longest win streak in 14 years, before falling 10-4 to Delaware on March 16.
• Kakalecik, who has played every minute in the cage this season for Temple, has been named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week twice this season. Her goals-against average of 6.83 ranks sixth among all players in NCAA Division I, while her save percentage of .488 ranks 19th nationally.
• Temple has won six games by 10 or more goals. The Owls' 19-goal effort in a 19-9 win at UMBC was the most since a 19-3 win over Cincinnati in 2014.
• Seniors Rachel Schwaab and Megan Tiernan have combined for an impressive 78 total points this season, leading the way for the Owls' offense. Schwaab has tallied 28 goals and 14 assists, while Tiernan has 24 goals and 12 assists.
• Tiernan has notched five hat tricks already this season, while Schwaab has three.
• Senior Brenda McDermott ranks third on the team with 21 goals but has recorded a team-high 17 assists to rank second in total points with 38.
• Junior Morgan Glassford, twice named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll already this season, has recorded 64 draw controls to lead the Owls and rank in a tie for first all-time in a single season at Temple. Her 4.27 draws per game lead all players in the BIG EAST and rank 19th in the country.
• Senior midfielder Nicole Tiernan was a unanimous selection to the 2016 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. The Owls were picked to finish sixth of eight teams in the conference in the preseason poll. Tiernan leads the team in caused turnovers (17) and ranks second in ground balls (23) and sixth in goals (16).
• The Owls are looking to make their first appearance in the BIG EAST Tournament since joining the league as an associate member in 2014. The four-team tournament will be hosted by Georgetown in Washington, D.C. on May 5 and 7.
• The Owls have beaten the Bearcats in both meetings between the teams, including a 16-3 road win last season. In 2014, Temple won 19-3 against Cincinnati at Geasey Field.

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