Tampa Earns Commanding Win Over Lander

TAMPA, Fla. – No. 5 University of Tampa women's lacrosse delivered a dominant performance Monday afternoon, rolling to a 22–6 victory over Lander University at Naimoli Family Athletic and Intramural Complex. With the win, the Spartans improve to 2–1 on the season while the Bearcats fall to 2–3. 

How It Happened

Tampa established control from the opening draw, as Isabella Avila and Kierstyn Zinter helped the Spartans secure early possessions that immediately translated into offense. Just 1:32 into the contest, Mary Kate Person opened the scoring off a crisp feed from Alexa Borges at the 13:28 mark. The duo connected again less than a minute later, and by 10:07, Person had completed a natural hat trick — all assisted by Borges — giving Tampa a commanding 3–0 lead before the midway point of the first quarter. 

The Spartans' defensive unit set the tone behind the early run, forcing multiple Lander turnovers and limiting the Bearcats to contested looks. After another successful draw control, Peyton Howell stretched the advantage to 4–0 at 8:05, finishing a sharp pass from Isabel McGarvey in transition. Lander broke through on a player-up opportunity at 4:52, but Tampa's back line quickly regrouped to close the quarter ahead 4–1, holding the Bearcats to just five first-quarter shots. 

Lander found early momentum in the second quarter with a quick goal at 13:56 to cut the deficit to 4–2. Tampa answered immediately. Grace Lichtenberger halted the run with an unassisted goal at 13:12, weaving through traffic to reestablish control. McGarvey followed with a strong individual effort at 9:16, and despite a Bearcat free-position conversion, the Spartans seized control over the final eight minutes of the half. 

Person netted her fourth goal of the day at 7:31 off another Borges assist, igniting a four-goal Tampa surge. The Spartans capitalized on Lander penalties, converting twice during player-up opportunities — first on a Borges finish from Person and then on a Person goal assisted by Borges — showcasing their precision in extra-player sets. Howell added a free-position goal at 2:13 after drawing contact on an aggressive dodge, sending Tampa into halftime with a 10–3 cushion and a 19–9 shot advantage. 

The third quarter proved decisive. Lander struck first at 14:23, but Tampa responded with its most explosive stretch of the afternoon. Lichtenberger and Kaylee VanVladricken scored less than a minute apart, both generated by sharp ball movement and unselfish passing. After a Lander free-position goal made it 12–5, the Spartans erupted for six goals over the next eight minutes. 

Maddie Szyluk opened the run with a player-up finish off Howell's assist. Howell then added a goal of her own, capitalizing on a feed from Szyluk. McGarvey followed with back-to-back tallies — one during another player-up advantage assisted by Lichtenberger and another off a Borges setup — pushing the margin to double digits. Player-up efficiency remained a key factor as Sia Markowski and Jenna Myhal each converted during extra-player situations late in the quarter, extending the lead to 18–5 entering the final period. 

In the fourth, Tampa continued to dictate pace and possession. Howell recorded her fifth goal at 12:40 off a feed from VanVladricken, and after Lander scored its lone goal of the quarter, the Spartans once again capitalized on a player-up opportunity. Howell converted a free-position attempt at 7:33 to reach the 20-goal mark for Tampa. Lichtenberger added her third of the afternoon with 1:31 remaining, and in fitting fashion, Josie Bullock capped the scoring with a goal as time expired, sealing the 22–6 victory. 

Spartan Performances

• Howell delivered a milestone performance with five goals and two assists for seven points, recording her 200th career point and moving into second all-time in program history in career points.

• Howell scored in multiple situations, including free-position and player-up opportunities, highlighting her versatility and leadership in the attack.

• Person matched Howell with five goals and two assists, completing a first-quarter natural hat trick to spark the early run.

• Borges orchestrated the offense with a goal and a game-high seven assists, factoring into eight of Tampa's 22 scores.

• Lichtenberger (3G, 1A) and McGarvey (3G, 1A) added efficient multi-goal performances to stretch the lead.

• Tampa featured 11 different goal scorers and 17 assists, showcasing depth and unselfish ball movement.

• Avila dominated the draw circle with seven draw controls, five ground balls, and four caused turnovers, while Zinter added five draw controls to secure a 19–9 advantage.

• The Spartans forced 24 turnovers, recorded 15 caused turnovers, and limited Lander to just 13 shots in a complete defensive effort.

• Savvy Barbosa played all 60 minutes in goal to earn the win as Tampa improved to 2–1 on the season.

Up Next: Tampa will travel to face Mercy University on March 7 at 11:00 a.m. EST at Mercy Field as the Spartans continue their early-season slate.