TicketsCINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati lacrosse team never trailed and fought its way to a 12-9 win over Temple on Saturday afternoon.
The Bearcats improved to 9-4 and 2-1 in the AAC, their second-most overall wins behind only the 2019 squad, which also defeated Temple twice for the only prior victories in the all-time series. The last three defeats had also come by a combined eight goals.
"These were two really, really solid and disciplined teams that came out and grinded today," head coach Gina Thomas said. "The fast start really put us in a confident position early. Ashley Lapp is a kid that does whatever she's told and embraces all the coaching from Haley Hardy. We love kids that want to grow and learn, and she's getting better and better from being here. I knew this would be a game for Kylie Gioia because she's from that area, so I told her to be Philly today, and she was."
Lapp registered 11 saves, one off a season-high set at Youngstown State on Feb. 22. Cincinnati has also outscored its opponents 48-18 over its three-game home win streak, improving to 6-1 in Nippert Stadium as well.
Ava Goeller's hat trick was her fifth, while Gioia earned her second to go with a career-high five points (three goals, two assists). The two scored twice apiece, plus a Goeller assist on one of them, for the 4-0 lead over the game's first seven minutes.
Temple (5-6, 0-2 AAC) was not overly fazed by the early deficit, despite a timeout after trailing 3-0. The Owls fought back to tie it at 6-6 with 2:44 left in the half, but Gioia went to the left side and struck a goal across her body with five seconds left for the 7-6 lead. The Bearcats moved to 8-0 when leading at the break as well.
Lindsey Durkota's fourth goal of the season opened the second-half scoring, and she added another early in the fourth as well. Cincinnati turned that late first-half push into an eventual 10-6 lead for all the cushion it needed.
Freshman Camryn Callaghan, who entered the day third nationally in goals, added two more for her 46th of the season. She is now tied with Laura Simanski (2010) for fourth in single-season school history.
Cincinnati returns to action with a Saturday tilt at East Carolina to kick off three-straight road contests.
The Bearcats improved to 9-4 and 2-1 in the AAC, their second-most overall wins behind only the 2019 squad, which also defeated Temple twice for the only prior victories in the all-time series. The last three defeats had also come by a combined eight goals.
"These were two really, really solid and disciplined teams that came out and grinded today," head coach Gina Thomas said. "The fast start really put us in a confident position early. Ashley Lapp is a kid that does whatever she's told and embraces all the coaching from Haley Hardy. We love kids that want to grow and learn, and she's getting better and better from being here. I knew this would be a game for Kylie Gioia because she's from that area, so I told her to be Philly today, and she was."
Lapp registered 11 saves, one off a season-high set at Youngstown State on Feb. 22. Cincinnati has also outscored its opponents 48-18 over its three-game home win streak, improving to 6-1 in Nippert Stadium as well.
Ava Goeller's hat trick was her fifth, while Gioia earned her second to go with a career-high five points (three goals, two assists). The two scored twice apiece, plus a Goeller assist on one of them, for the 4-0 lead over the game's first seven minutes.
Temple (5-6, 0-2 AAC) was not overly fazed by the early deficit, despite a timeout after trailing 3-0. The Owls fought back to tie it at 6-6 with 2:44 left in the half, but Gioia went to the left side and struck a goal across her body with five seconds left for the 7-6 lead. The Bearcats moved to 8-0 when leading at the break as well.
Lindsey Durkota's fourth goal of the season opened the second-half scoring, and she added another early in the fourth as well. Cincinnati turned that late first-half push into an eventual 10-6 lead for all the cushion it needed.
Freshman Camryn Callaghan, who entered the day third nationally in goals, added two more for her 46th of the season. She is now tied with Laura Simanski (2010) for fourth in single-season school history.
Cincinnati returns to action with a Saturday tilt at East Carolina to kick off three-straight road contests.