PHILADELPHIA – Despite a hat trick from rookie Cassidy Spilis and a career-high 15 saves by classmate Alonna Gliksman, Rutgers women's lacrosse (4-1) lost its first game of the 2020 season to No. 12 UPenn (3-0), 11-9, Wednesday night in Philadelphia. The Scarlet Knights held the Quakers to a season-low 11 goals and found themselves tied 6-6 late in the second half, but UPenn used a 5-3 scoring run in the final 12 minutes to secure its win.
 
Spilis netted three goals in the loss, her fifth consecutive multi-goal outing and third game with three or more goals to begin her collegiate campaign. Senior captain Samantha Budd and junior Taralyn Naslonski added two goals apiece for RU, while freshmen Jenna Byrne and Ashley Campo each produced a score.
 
The story of the night was Gliksman, who collected a career-high 15 saves despite facing a season-high 41 shots from the Quakers. The performance included eight stops in the second period, as her effort gave RU every opportunity to pull the road victory at Penn Field. Rutgers forced UPenn into 13 turnovers, as senior captain Dakota Pastore caused a team-high three turnovers in the loss.
 
It was a low-scoring first half for both sides, as an unassisted strike from Spilis to open the game tied it at 1-1 at the 26:58 mark. Budd's first goal of the night produced another tie, while Naslonski's score with 5:37 left in the half made it just a 4-3 game in favor of the Quakers. Erin Barry's goal in the final minute gave UPenn a 5-3 lead at the half.
 
The Quakers added a quick goal out of the locker room, but Rutgers responded with a 3-0 scoring run over the next 17 minutes of play. Holding UPenn scoreless during the stretch, Budd and Spilis each added goals, while sophomore Marin Hartshorn found a cutting Campo to tie the game at 6-6 with 12:31 to go.
 
The Scarlet Knights' defense would hold over the next five minutes before the Quakers scored three consecutive goals for a 9-6 lead. RU would get it to within two down the stretch, but UPenn would hold on for the hard-fought win.
 
Rutgers returns home to host Saint Joseph's on Saturday (Feb. 29) at 3 p.m. The game is part of a doubleheader with the men's lacrosse program, who host Stony Brook at Noon.
 
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