Taylor Moreno

Recap: Moreno's 13 Saves Propel Team Moreno to 12-9 Win Over Team Glynn

© Athletes Unlimited, LLC 2024 / Credit: MK Ridgway
Eric Rhew
Jul 20, 2024

SPARKS, Md. — A 13-save performance from goalkeeper Taylor Moreno and a three-point outing from midfielder Ally Kennedy propelled Team Moreno to its second straight win, a 12-9 victory over Team Glynn to close out Saturday afternoon’s Athletes Unlimited Pro Lacrosse doubleheader at USA Lacrosse Headquarters.

The win elevated Team Moreno’s record to 2-0 in the opening week, while Team Glynn’s record dipped to 1-1.

Moreno, the game’s MVP 2 selection, notched 13 saves for the second game in a row and added two ground balls to claim 193 leaderboard points. Kennedy, meanwhile, added a pair of goals with an assist to secure MVP 3 honors while finishing with a career-high 204 leaderboard points.

Rookie attacker Ellie Masera paced Team Moreno offensively with her second straight three-goal performance, while fellow newcomers Isabella Peterson and Sydni Black each chipped in a pair of markers.

Midfielder Katie O’Donnell authored the second four-goal game of her career by scoring four times in the loss for Team Glynn. O’Donnell received MVP 1 plaudits and collected 97 leaderboard points.

Goalkeeper Kady Glynn set a career high after stopping 15 shots, while midfielder Erica Evans struck for a pair of goals. Rookie attacker Maggi Hall added a goal with two assists.

KEY MOMENT

Team Moreno broke a 5-all tie by going on a 4-1 run over a three-minute span to take a 9-6 lead with 7:49 left in the third quarter on a Kennedy marker. Team Glynn closed to within 11-9 on a Hall tally with 2:05 remaining before midfielder Cassidy Weeks closed the scoring with 74 seconds left.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Kennedy’s first career 200-point game vaulted her into second place in the league standings with 332 points, while Moreno owns the top spot with 373 points heading into Sunday’s Week One finale.

GAME NOTES

  • Teams are now 2-for-5 in captain’s challenges through four games this season … Team Glynn initiated a captain’s challenge at the end of the quarter for a dangerous shot, which was unsuccessful.

  • Team Moreno swept all 125 win points, marking the 20th time in 82 career Athletes Unlimited Pro Lacrosse contests a team has secured all of the possible win points.

  • Moreno, who improved to 12-11 all-time as a captain, has won five of her last six outings dating back to last season.

  • Newcomers accounted for nine of Team Moreno’s 12 goals in Saturday’s victory.

  • Midfielder Livy Rosenzweig accumulated 10 draw controls in the loss for Team Glynn on Saturday, marking the sixth time in league history a player has tallied 10 or more draws … Rosenzweig has registered two of the six instances, including a league-record 13 draws against Team Apuzzo on August 12, 2023.

  • Glynn, who notched her 14th career double-digit save effort, became the third goalkeeper in Athletes Unlimited Pro Lacrosse history with 15 or more saves in a game, joining Moreno and Britt Read.

  • Moreno has now tallied 10 or more saves in 20-of-29 career outings, the most of any netminder in league history.

  • O’Donnell also had four goals against Team Apuzzo on August 14, 2022 … Saturday’s four-goal explosion also marks the second hat trick of her career.

  • Moreno now owns 12 career Game MVP awards, which ranks fifth in league history.

  • O’Donnell earned the first MVP 1 certificate of her Athletes Unlimited Pro Lacrosse career … It is also the second career Game MVP honor for the former Penn State standout.

GAME MVPS

  • #1 – Katie O’Donnell (Team Moreno, +45)
  • #2 – Taylor Moreno (Team Moreno, +30)
  • #3 – Ally Kennedy (Team Moreno, +15)