Spartans Top Saints on the Road

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The University of Tampa Spartans win the first-ever meeting between the two programs to improve to 2-0 on the season.

FIRST QUARTER

The No. 1 ranked Spartans would dominate the first quarter in the program's first-ever meeting Maryville in what was a top-ten showdown. Sarah Engle, who was named as the Division II USA Lacrosse Magazine Player of the Week for her performance against Rollins would find Peyton Howell to open up the scoring just over five minutes in. Mekelsey Montgomery would extend Tampa's lead to two at the seven-minute mark after scoring from the free position spot. The Spartans would score their third unanswered goal after Howell tallied her second of the game less than a minute later. Engle and Sophi Wrisk would connect for a goal, giving Wrisk her first of the game to end the quarter with a commanding lead. End of Q1 | 4-0 Tampa

SECOND QUARTER

The second quarter saw Maryville open the scoring forty-five seconds in, cutting the Spartans lead to just three. Tampa would respond with two unanswered goals to put the Spartans up by five which would be Tampa's largest lead of the game thus far. Jenna Myhal would score the team's fifth goal of the game and Engle would find the back of the net for the second time after firing one from the free position spot. However, the Saints would go on a run of their own, scoring the game's next three goals to put the game within reach. Wrisk would go on to tally yet another Spartans goal from the free position spot to head into halftime up two. End of Q2 | 7-5 Tampa

THIRD QUARTER

The Saints would enter the third quarter down two but that would not deter them. The No. 8 ranked team in the country would score the next three goals of the game to gain the first lead of the day and lead 8-7. Engle would tack on the team's first goal of the quarter with just over six minutes to play on a free position to bring the game to a tie. Isabel McGarvey tallied her first goal of the game with forty-seven seconds left in the quarter to help Tampa regain the lead. End of Q3 | 9-8 Tampa

FOURTH QUARTER

Tampa would end the first three-quarters of the game with the lead and would make it four after a dominant final quarter from the team. Myhal would open the scoring in the fourth to help extend the lead for the top-ranked Spartans which would be the team's sixth free position goal of the game. The Saints would follow up with an unassisted goal from Marissa Zeno as Maryville would try and close in on Tampa's lead but that would be the last time they would score. Tampa would go on to score the game's final four goals to win by four. Final | 14-10 Tampa

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Tampa takes the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
• Engle and Myhal recorded hat tricks and now have recorded three or more goals in both games this season.
• Kyli Warnkin improved to 2-0 on the year in net for the Spartans and had a game-high four groundballs.
• Engle continued to be a spotlight for Tampa, recording seven points (4 G, 3 A).
• Tampa tallied six free position goals and went 15-17 on clears.

UP NEXT: The team is set for a rematch of the 2024 national title game in what will be the Spartans home opener on February 22, 5 PM.