PHILADELPHIA – The nationally ranked University of Pennsylvania women's lacrosse team opened the 2026 season on Saturday afternoon, overcoming Drexel in the fourth quarter to win 11-10 at Franklin Field.
 
With the game even at ten and less than three minutes left of the fourth period, Lela Greene scored the go-ahead goal to push #11 Penn to its first win of the season and hand Drexel its first loss.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*Catherine Berkery, Olivia Nicoll, and Regan O'Brien netted two goals each to account for the multi-goal scorers.
 
*Patricia Columbia-Walsh, sophomore Greene, Emma Hrzich, Mary Sack, and Kate Stanton hit the back of the net to even out Penn's scorers.
 
*Hrzich, Nicoll, Sack, and Stanton's goals were the first of their collegiate career
 
*Junior Maggie Bankowski was fierce in the X, winning seven of the Red and Blue's ten draw controls.
 
*Goalkeeper Orly Sedransk stopped eight of 18 shots faced.
 
*The Quakers went 4-for-4 in free position shots while the Dragons went 3-for-9.
 
*Freshmen Millie Bartlett, Quinny Hanldy, Hrizch, Avery Le, Nicoll, Sydney Patten, and Sack made their collegiate debuts.
 
How It Happened
The first period was back-and-forth with both teams going on three-goal runs to be even at four after the first 15 minutes, with Nicoll, sophomore Stanton, and senior Columbia-Walsh accounting for Penn's tallies.
 
The Dragons took control for most of the second quarter, scoring three unanswered goals to lead 7-5 going into halftime, followed by another to open the third period to lead by a trio. With 8:25 left in the third, the Quakers caught a spark, led by a rally from junior Berkery, who dished out a goal to Hrzich before netting her own to cut the deficit to one goal.
 
First-year Sack tied the battle at eight right as the third expired to keep the contest close. Drexel's Bea Buckley and junior O'Brien exchanged two goals apiece to open the fourth to tie the outing at ten with 3:21 left of regulation. Luckily, sophomore Greene found the back of the net not even a minute later to push the Red and Blue ahead by one. The Quaker defense was able to hold on for the final two minutes to secure the 11-10 win to open the season.
 
Up Next
The Quakers (1-0) are back at Franklin Field on Saturday, Feb. 21, hosting nationally ranked Johns Hopkins for a 3:30 matchup.