PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania women's lacrosse team got back in the win column on Saturday afternoon, topping Columbia 15-8 at Franklin Field.
 
Regan O'Brien carried Penn to a 2-0 Ivy League record, tying her career high with seven points (5g/2a) in the victory.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*Catherine Berkery, Patricia Columbia-Walsh, Quinny Handley, Avery Le, Mary Sack, and Mae Zaremba accounted for the Quakers' other goals in the win.
 
*Senior Columbia-Walsh dished out a team-high three assists to pair with her two goals.
 
*Defender Clare Ruff was an offensive force, tallying a Quaker-high three caused turnovers and ground balls.
 
*Goalkeeper Orly Sedransk protected her cage in the Ivy battle, stopping six shots against the Lions.
 
*Freshman Millie Bartlett dominated the X for the Red and Blue, winning six draw controls.
 
How It Happened
Junior O'Brien and Berkery started off the scoring in the conference clash, netting goals within the first five minutes to give Penn an early lead. Columbia scored its first goal of the day on the player-up with 8:27 on the clock, but not even a minute later, O'Brien netted her second of the period to keep the deficit close. Both offenses exchanged goals to close out the first, with Maddie Brogan tallying the Lions' and sophomore Zaremba hitting the back of the net for Penn to put the game at 4-2 after 15 minutes.
 
Columbia opened the second with back-to-back, including another player-up tally this time from Anna Becker to even the battle at four. In the closing minute of the half, freshman Sack knocked in a pass from Columbia-Walsh to give the Quakers a 5-4 lead at the break.
 
Sack goal seemed to cause a spark, as the Red and Blue scored nine unanswered goals stretching from the 12:33 mark of the third until the 5:27 mark of the fourth to give Penn a deep 14-4 lead. The Lions were able to stop the running clock, off back-to-back goals, but O'Brien netted her fifth and final goal of the day on the player-down with 3:12 left to bring the Quakers closer to victory. Columbia fought until the end, scoring two more goals within the final two minutes, but it was too late for a comeback as the game ended with a 15-8 final score.
 
Up Next
The Quakers (4-5, 2-0) return to Franklin Field on Saturday, April 4, hosting Harvard for a noon matchup.