Lacrosse Clinches BIG EAST Tourney Berth With 11-10 Win at Vanderbilt

Saturday, April 15

Nashville, Tenn.

2:00 p.m.

Temple University

13-2, 6-1

Vanderbilt

6-7, 3-4

Temple

Vanderbilt

Photo by: Dave Fredman Frederick

Lacrosse Clinches BIG EAST Tourney Berth With 11-10 Win at Vanderbilt

4.15.17 | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Behind four goals apiece from seniors Carly Demato and Brenda McDermott, along with a career-high 17 saves for freshman Maryn Lowell, Temple lacrosse came from behind in an 11-10 victory at Vanderbilt (6-7, 3-4) to win its sixth straight game and clinch a spot in the 2017 BIG EAST Tournament. The Owls (13-2, 6-1) trailed 10-8 with 11:32 remaining before scoring the final three goals, including the game-winner by Demato with just over a minute left.

For McDermott, the hat trick was her sixth in as many games, while for Demato it was her third in a row. Lowell's 17 saves are not only six more than her previous career high, but are the second-most for a goalkeeper in the BIG EAST this season in a single game.

Temple has now won eight of its 13 games by two goals or less, and has won six times when either tied or trailing in the final 10 minutes.

"I'm not surprised (about that stat)," said Temple head coach Bonnie Rosen. "This feels familiar! I think it's quite remarkable, and today I was just extremely proud of this team. I can only chalk up our ability to stay in the game and make comebacks as a really special quality of this group. It always comes from different people, which is probably why it happens. To have put ourselves in position to be in the tournament already is really, really wonderful."

Freshman Kimmy Weinstock had a strong outing with a game-high five draw controls, while senior Krissy Gallivan came up with a team-best three ground balls including a crucial one in the final two minutes. Where Temple struggled was with turnovers, as the Owls committed 17 of them to Vanderbilt's nine. Fortunately for Temple, Lowell's outstanding play was able to help limit the damage caused by those miscues.

"Maryn did what Maryn does," said Rosen. "She takes the shots and I think the longer games go on at times, when we let her see those shots in a consistent way, she'll make those saves for us. Today she came up with some huge saves. Goalkeepers are always in high-pressure situations, and obviously to be in those situations as a freshman and playing the way she is, says a lot about her character. She just did a remarkable job today."

Senior Morgan Glassford was first on the scoreboard after two minutes of action for a 1-0 Temple lead, but Vanderbilt scored the next two goals for a 2-1 lead at 24:51.

Both Demato and McDermott then scored twice as the Owls used a 4-0 run to jump out to a 5-2 lead midway through the first half. Lowell made six of her nine first-half saves in those first 15 minutes to give Temple plenty of chances to get back on offense.

After the Owls' fifth goal at 14:15, they suffered a drought and went scoreless for over 13 minutes as the Commodores scored six straight to take a three-goal, 8-5 lead with 3:31 left in the opening period. Vanderbilt finished the first half with a 9-6 edge in draw controls, and committed just five turnovers to Temple's eight.

Just before the final minute of the half, Temple stopped the run as freshman Olivia Thompson scored on an assist from McDermott, and the Owls trailed just 8-6 at the break.

The two teams played over 15 minutes of lacrosse before the score changed in the second half. It was McDermott who finally got things going, scoring her third goal of the day with 14:23 remaining in the game. From there, it became a back-and-forth contest as Vanderbilt scored, Temple answered, and that sequence repeated another time.

Vanderbilt's second goal in that stretch put the Owls down 10-8, but senior Anna Frederick pulled Temple back within one with 8:11 on the clock. Just under three minutes later, McDermott's fourth goal tied the game for the first time since early on.

Temple called two timeouts and Vanderbilt called one over the next four minutes, and Demato's game-winner came 34 seconds after the second timeout for the Owls. Vanderbilt's Jill Doherty controlled the final draw, but Lowell's 17th save came on the Commodores' final attempt of the contest.

The Owls will now have a week off before their final home game of the season, a 1 p.m. Senior Day contest against #3 Florida at Howarth Field on Saturday, April 22.