PHILADELPHIA – The #16 University of Pennsylvania women's lacrosse team downed #5 Princeton 15-12 on ESPNU Wednesday night at Franklin Field.
Regan O'Brien was an offensive force for Penn, posting a career-high seven-point outing to help hand the Tigers their first Ivy League loss of 2025. On the defensive end of the field, keeper
Orly Sedransk stopped a career-high 14 shots to help secure the victory.
Quaker Notemeal
*Sophomore O'Brien netted a career-high five goals to help boost her night.
*
Keeley Block and
Anna Brandt recorded hat tricks in the win.
*Penn edged out Princeton in draw controls, 16-14.
*The Quakers snapped the Tigers' 11-game win streak to push Princeton to 11-2, 4-1 on the year.
How It Happened
Though it was a highly competitive matchup, the first quarter was nearly silent until Princeton's Haven Dora netted the first goal at the 5:35 mark. A minute later, the Quakers got rolling with their first tally of the game from
Meryl Docking. Fifty-three seconds later, freshman Sarah Kelly registered a goal to grab the lead for the Quakers.
Catherine Berkery wrapped up the quarter, slamming one into the net to push the Quakers' lead to 3-1.
The Red and Blue did not let up to open the second, as O'Brien and senior Block scored in the first two and a half minutes to put the deficit at four. The Tigers answered as Jami MacDonald scored at the 11:52 mark, but Berkery and Block scored back-to-back goals within the same minute to put the battle at 7-2. Princeton closed out the first half with one more goal in the final two minutes to cut Penn's lead to 7-3 at halftime.
Sophomore O'Brien started the second half quickly, tallying her second of the game 40 seconds in, but the Tigers fired on all cylinders, scoring three straight goals to push the score to 8-6 with 10:46 on the clock. Not even thirty seconds later, O'Brien recorded her third hat trick of the year to cut the run, but Princeton responded by putting its hole at two again.
Shortly later, O'Brien brought the Quakers to double digits. However, the Tigers answered with back-to-back goals to trail 10-9 with 3:56 left of the third. Despite the near comeback, midfielder Brandt got to work with two straight goals to close the third and open the fourth to put Penn ahead 12-9 with 12:29 left of regulation.
Ultimately, the Tigers continued to prove why they are top five in the country, scoring three unanswered goals to even the game at 12 with 8:33 on the board. The Red and Blue needed a hero to step up, and that is what attacker Block did a minute later, slamming in her 27th goal of the season to give Penn what would be the definitive lead. Brandt and O'Brien added insurance goals to the board within the final four minutes to secure the 15-12 ranked win.
Up Next
The Quakers (7-5, 3-2) close out regular season home action on Saturday, hosting Cornell for a 3:30 p.m. battle at Franklin Field.
#FightOnPenn