ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. - The Southern Connecticut State University lacrosse team were defeated 14-12 in their season opener to Molloy of the East Coast Conference on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022 at the RVC Sports Complex. The Owls fall to 0-1 overall, while the Lions improve to 1-1.
Offensively, Southern was led by
Bayleigh Takacs (Sparta, N.J.) and
Karlie Rowe (Niantic, Conn.). Takacs recorded four goals and three assists, while Rowe scored four goals and handed out one assist. In her Southern debut,
Alexandra Ruel (Ivoryton, Conn.) had a goal and an assist.
Kelly Jagodzinski (Stamford, Conn.) and
Savannah Feinberg (Sound Beach, N.Y.) both had a goal and an assist each, and
Brianna Shaw (Branford, Conn.) added a goal.
How It Happened
First Quarter
- Molloy scored the first three goals of the game before Rowe scored off a pass from Ruel to get the Owls on the scoreboard. Molloy added one more goal to take a 4-1 lead.
Second Quarter
- Southern erupted for six goals in the second quarter. Ruel scored her first goal from Takacs before Rowe connected with Takacs for her first goal to cut the lead to 4-3.
- Molloy responded with three straight goals before Southern fought back. Jagodzinski found Takacs downfield as she scored, and Shaw immediately converted on a free-position shot at the 7:50 mark.
- Both teams exchanged two goals each to end the half, with Rowe and Takacs both scoring for the Owls, with Takacs assisting on Rowe's goal, as Molloy took a 9-7 lead.
Third Quarter
- Jagodzinski scored Southern's lone goal of the quarter with 8:48 remaining, but Southern's defense held Molloy to just two goals. The Lions took an 11-8 lead into the final quarter.
Fourth Quarter
- The duo of Takacs and Rowe ignited Southern's offense again, as both players scored in a 20 second span at the start of the quarter to cut the deficit to one.
- Molloy then scored two consecutive goals to maintain a three-goal lead. Rowe again brought Southern closer during the final two minutes with her fourth goal of the game, but Molloy and Feinberg exchanged goals in the last minute of play as the Lions held on to a two-goal win.
Notes
- Takacs tied her career-high in goals scored in a game with her four, her fourth career four-goal game (Also, April 24, 2021 vs American International, Feb. 29, 2020 vs Post, Feb. 23, 2020 vs Dominican.
- This was also Takacs' second career game with at least three assists and fourth career game with at least five points.
- Takacs now has 29 assists in her career, and has recorded at least one point in 16 consecutive games dating back to April 13, 2019. Takacs currently ranks fifth all-time in program history in career assists. She is eight away from tying Kennedy Sherman, who had 35.
- Rowe scored at least four goals in a game for the sixth time in her career.
- Rowe has recorded a goal or assist in all 32 games of her career.
- Takacs and Rowe became the first pair of Southern players to score at least four goals in a season opener since 2020, when Hailey Gordon, Takacs, and Jagodzisnki all did so against Dominican.
- Ruel became the first Southern player with a goal and an assist in her Owls' debut since Liney White (Madison, Conn.) did so on Feb. 23, 2020.
- Rileigh Bunton (Pelham, N.H.) recorded nine saves in her first career start.
- Feinberg and Rowe have scored a goal in Southern's first game of the season in back-to-back years.
- Shaw recorded a career-high six draw controls.
- Southern's seven-goal first half was their most since scoring nine against Post on Feb. 29, 2020.
Up Next
Southern's home opener will take place on Saturday, Feb. 26 at Jess Dow Field against Bentley at 1:00 p.m.
