Rowan Leads Orange Against Team USA
10/11/2008 9:29:53 PM | Women's Lacrosse
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse senior Katie Rowan led the Orange women’s lacrosse team with three goals and two assists in an 18-10 loss to the U.S. National team in an exhibition game played in front of 846 fans at the Carrier Dome on Saturday, Oct. 11. The game highlighted the first day of Stars and Stripes Laxfest.
Team USA jumped out to an early lead, scoring the first six goals of the game. After junior Sarah Sedgwick put the Orange on the scoreboard with an unassisted goal, the U.S. responded with a 4-1 scoring run to take a 10-2 lead with 14:09 remaining. Senior Megan Mosenson halted the run when she scored on an 11-meter shot, and then connected with Rowan, who scored her second goal of the contest. Junior Halley Quillinan notched an unassisted goal to cut Team USA’s lead to 10-5 with 9:29 remaining, before Quinn Carney scored a pair of goals in the final two minutes of the half to give the U.S. a 12-5 halftime advantage.
The second half started much like the first as Team USA recorded three straight goals to take its largest lead of the game at 15-5 with 23:52 remaining. Rowan scored her third goal of the contest at the 17:33 mark, sparking the Orange on a 5-1 scoring run that cut the lead to 16-10 with 4:49 remaining. Sophomore Lindsey Connell had three goals during the run, while junior Christina Dove also netted her first goal of the game. That was as close as SU would get as Team USA scored the final two goals of the game for the 18-10 final.
“I thought our players did well,” said Syracuse head coach Gary Gait. “They played hard. Certainly it was a tough start. I think they were a little nervous going against the best players in the world. They made us proud by battling back and going on a bit of a run on their own. They did a great job. We saw some young players step up today against some great competition.”
In addition to Rowan’s and Connell’s hat tricks, Mosenson had a goal and two assists, while Quillinan finished with a goal and an assist. Twelve different players scored for Team USA, led by Caroline Cryer’s three goals.
Prior to the game, members of the Orange and Team USA conducted the MVP Healthcare Lacrosse Clinic for 150 girls in grades 3-12.
Stars and Stripes Laxfest concludes on Sunday with international play between the U.S., Scotland and Haudenosaunee national teams and an event for girl’s youth, high school and club teams at the Lampe Athletics Complex and Hookway Fields.
