Rutgers Scarlet Knight Women’s Lacrosse Tops Temple After Dominant Third Quarter
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The Rutgers Scarlet Knights delivered one of their most exciting performances of the season on Saturday afternoon. The team together edged the Temple Owls 17–16 in a thrilling offensive battle at Howarth Field. The victory marked Rutgers’ highest-scoring game of the 2026 season and handed Temple its first loss of the year.
Rutgers Women's Lacrosse's Caroline Ling Delivers Career Performance
Temple entered the matchup undefeated at 8-0 and ranked No. 19 in the USA Lacrosse Division I Women’s Top 20, setting the stage for a high-stakes road challenge. Rutgers rose to the occasion, improving its record to 5–2 with a win.
Scarlet Knights WIN!#BxB 🧱 | #GoRU pic.twitter.com/q7gQWK4P3X
— Rutgers Women's Lacrosse (@rutgers_wlax) March 7, 2026
Rutgers completely dominated the third quarter, outscoring Temple 8–2. They built a lead that ultimately held up despite a dramatic late push from the Owls.
The standout performance of the afternoon belonged to sophomore attacker Caroline Ling, who delivered an unforgettable scoring display. Ling exploded for a career-high eight goals on just 10 shots, leading the Rutgers offense with precision and confidence.
Ling’s scoring began early and continued throughout the game. She recorded a first-half hat trick, her fifth of the season, to keep the Scarlet Knights within striking distance during the opening two quarters. Ling scored two goals less than a minute apart early in the third quarter, igniting the Scarlet Knights’ surge and helping Rutgers reclaim control of the game.
Even as Temple mounted a furious comeback attempt late in the fourth quarter, Ling remained the difference-maker. With about five minutes remaining, she delivered her eighth and final goal of the afternoon, halting Temple’s momentum and giving Rutgers a crucial cushion in the closing minutes.
Hilary Elsner provided a major boost with a hat trick that kept the Temple defense guessing. Senior captain Ava Chiarella added two goals of her own, including a key strike in the opening quarter that helped Rutgers build early momentum.
Freshman Kate Theofield scored a spectacular behind-the-back goal during the third-quarter scoring run after receiving a pass from sophomore Delainey Sutley. Both Theofield and senior captain Lily Dixon served as key playmakers throughout the game, finishing with two assists each.
Payton Tini also contributed to the early scoring push, finding the back of the net during Rutgers’ opening-quarter run. Temple’s Amelia Wright opened the scoring less than two minutes into the contest, but Rutgers quickly responded.
Ling and Tini each scored before Ling added another goal off an assist from Dixon. Temple briefly reclaimed the lead, but Rutgers finished the first quarter with a 4–1 run, heading into the break with a 5–3 advantage.
Temple tied the game early in the period, and the teams traded goals as the intensity increased. Ling continued her scoring pace, but Temple closed the half with a 3–0 run, capped by a goal from Sarah Gowman that gave the Owls a 9–8 halftime lead.
Dominant Third Quarter Shifts Momentum
Rutgers stormed out of the locker room and delivered a dominant third-quarter performance, outscoring Temple 8–2 in a decisive stretch. Hilary Elsner opened the rally with an unassisted goal, sparking the momentum shift. The Scarlet Knights then scored three consecutive goals to start the half, reclaiming the lead and putting Temple on the defensive.
The surge continued as Rutgers closed the quarter with a 5–1 run over the final 6:30. Theofield’s highlight-reel behind-the-back goal pushed the lead to 14–10 and energized the Scarlet Knights’ bench.
Possession played a huge role in the victory, and senior captain Katie Buck led the charge in the draw circle. Buck finished with a game-high 10 draw controls, repeatedly giving Rutgers extra possessions and limiting Temple’s chances. With the game hanging in the balance, Buck secured her 10th draw control, allowing Rutgers to maintain possession and run out the clock.
Defensively, Buck and rookie Gabby Mariani each forced two turnovers, while sophomore Maddie Miceli added a team-high four ground balls, helping the Scarlet Knights limit Temple’s opportunities. Graduate student Simone Koryszewski started the game and recorded four saves over 40 minutes, earning her fifth win of the season.
As Temple pushed for a comeback, freshman Ellie Rackie entered midway through the second half and played the final quarter and a half. Rackie responded with a poised performance, recording four saves while facing nine shots and stabilizing the Rutgers defense during the tense closing minutes.
Rutgers now turns its attention to another major challenge. The Scarlet Knights will travel to Stony Brook, New York, to face No. 13 Stony Brook on Wednesday, March 11. The matchup will begin at 6 p.m. at LaValle Stadium and stream live on FloCollege.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.