JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The No. 21 University of Pennsylvania women's lacrosse team overcame a six-goal deficit in the fourth quarter but came up just short to No. 22 Jacksonville on Saturday afternoon in Florida, 12-11.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*Penn outshot the Dolphins, 31-29, with 22 going on target.
 
*The draw game played in favor of the Quakers, 16-10, as senior Kennon Moon secured a career-high 11, a tied for the second most in program history. She matched former teammate, Zoe Belodeau, who pulled in 11 in 2018 against Rutgers.
 
*Off the 11 goals, five were on free-position attempts, going 5-for-9 at the eight meter for the day.
 
*Senior Niki Miles led the team in points with three, scoring twice while adding an assist.
 
*Moon and sophomore Erika Chung also scored twice in the contest, as the Quakers had eight different goal scorers.
 
*Penn led the ground ball game, 24-20, paced by senior Izzy Rohr with four and sophomore Natasha Gorriaran and junior Sophie Davis with three each.
 
*Senior Kelly Van Hoesen protected the net for the full 60 minutes, making eight saves.
 
How It Happened
A tight first half saw five ties and three lead changes, proving that this game was going to be a grind the whole way. The Dolphins scored first in the game, but Miles found Chung less than two minutes later to tie it up.
 
Miles drew it even at 2-2 later in the frame, then Penn pushed into its first lead of the game after Patricia Columbia-Walsh and Moon went back-to-back on free-position goals in the second quarter. Over the next 10 minutes, Jacksonville responded with two straight to reclaim the advantage, but Miles found the back of the net for the second time of the day to even it up at 5-5 for the half.
 
In the first half, much of the stat sheet was even, including 15-15 in shots.
 
The third quarter saw a six-goal separation in favor of the Dolphins, holding the Quakers scoreless for the full 15 minutes while finding the back of the net six times to take an 11-5 advantage into the final frame.
 
Leaving that frame in the rearview, Penn came out for an epic comeback in the final 15 minutes. Caitlin Cook started what would turn into a 6-1 run four minutes into the quarter, catching a dish from Maria Themelis. She was followed by Moon's second goal of the game to bring the Quakers within four before Jacksonville tried to slow down the comeback attempt with its 12th and final goal with five minutes remaining in the game.
 
Penn didn't go away, although the clock wasn't its friend. Over the next four minutes, the Quakers found the back of the net four more times to get within one with 1:18 left in regulation. Chung scored her second of the game, while Anna Brandt, Themelis, and Katelyn Cumiskey all squared their first of the day, two of which were free-position goals.
 
The ensuing draw went to the favor of Penn through the stick of Themelis, giving the Quakers an opportunity to secure the final shot of the game and send it to overtime. With 18 seconds remaining, the attempt was fired off by Cook, but it went slightly wide. Although Penn had the ball after the attempt, it was the last shot the Quakers could off before the horn.
 
Up Next
Penn returns to Ivy League play and wraps up its five-game road trip next Saturday, March 18, making the trip to Harvard. The Quakers a 31-18 all-time against the Crimson and have won 22 of the last 23 matchups, falling last year for the first time since 2000. First draw is set for noon in Cambridge, Massachusetts.