Four Players Record a Hat Trick as Towson Routs Campbell
By: David Walker, Contributing Writer
After back-to-back 11 goal losses, the Tigers return home and defeat the Campbell Fighting Camels, 19-9. After starting the season 3-1, Towson would lose two big games against Loyola and Stony Brook. A win against a conference opponent would do well to turn the team around.
Towson would jump to a 1-0 lead only 42 seconds into the first quarter, as sophomore Katie Roszko scores her 12th goal of the season, she would end the day with five goals and one assist. Less than a minute later, senior Milana Zikakovic would score her first goal of the day and her ninth of the year, she would end the day with three goals and two assists. Campbell’s Lexi Goff would answer with a goal of her own, then the Tigers went on a 4-0 run. The run included a man-up goal from junior Savannah Safchuck, her first of five goals, and her eighth of the season. At the end of the 1st quarter, it was 7-2 Towson.
It was a quieter 2nd quarter, only five goals between each team. Junior Luca Demaio sunk her first goal of the day to bring the score to 8-2 Towson, she would end the day with three goals and two ground balls. The Tigers found themselves man-down with less than a minute to go, the Towson defense would hold strong, and Ocea Leavy beat the buzzer with her second goal of the game. The Tigers were up big, 11-4 at halftime.
Towson was doing a great job at defending Campbells clear attempts. The Camels failed to convert on four clears and these mistakes came back to bite them. The Tigers kept the foot on the gas pedal heading into the second half.
Both Zikakovic and Demaio completed their hat tricks this quarter, as Towson outscored Campbell 6-2 in the third. The Tiger defense outlasted another man-up chance from the Camels. Of the five man-up opportunities Campbell had, they only converted on one, with less than two minutes to go in the game. Towson was up 17-6 going into the final 15 minutes, the clock was running.
The 4th quarter was the only quarter Campbell outscored Towson. The Tigers would score two goals in the first six minutes, Roszko and Safchuck etching their fifth goals of the day. After Towson jumped ahead, freshman goalie Jenna Cardeno’s day was done. She ended the day with seven saves and the win. Junior Rory Turner made her season debut, allowing only two goals over the final six minutes.
A dominant win for the Tigers, at the perfect time. This was Towson’s biggest win of the season, up by as many as 13, their offense was flowing all game.
“We had a really big week at practice,” Savannah Safchuck said after the game, “We’re all sharing the ball really well, moving the ball around. We have seven girls on the field at all times who can put it away.”
A win like this sets the tone going forward in the season, especially against a conference opponent. The Tigers have two games in the next week, so it is important to keep the ball rolling.
“We definitely learned from the last two games, and don’t plan on seeing ourselves there ever again,” Safchuck said, “I think today, we had to set the bar, and set the standard for us, for the rest of the season.”
The Tigers will take on the Longwood University Lancers next, this Tuesday at 4pm.