Recap: Team Moreno cruises to 12-4 victory over Team Read

Taylor Moreno posts 14 saves

Eric Rhew

Jul 29, 2023

SPARKS, Md. — When things have been clicking for Team Moreno this season, there is just about nothing an opponent can do to stop them. Saturday night’s Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse contest at USA Lacrosse Headquarters was just another example.

Team Moreno scored the first six goals of the game and used a 14-save performance from captain Taylor Moreno to secure a convincing 12-4 victory over Team Read to close the twinbill.

Team Moreno remained unbeaten in Week Two with a 2-0 mark while Team Read dropped its second game in a row and holds a 0-2 mark entering its Sunday clash against Team Colson.

Attacker Kenzie Kent claimed MVP 1 honors after notching three goals, including a two-point marker, with three draw controls and a ground ball. Kent, who earned her ninth career hat trick, finished with 198 leaderboard points.

Moreno, meanwhile, secured MVP 2 distinction following her 245-point outburst that included 14 saves and two caused turnovers. Attacker Charlotte North completed the MVP trifecta after posting a three-goal performance with an assist en route to fashioning 166 leaderboard points.

Four different players scored a goal for Team Read while goalkeeper Britt Read contributed seven saves in the loss.

KEY MOMENT

Team Moreno erupted for a 6-0 lead in the first half as Kent and midfielder Amy Moreau each scored twice to ignite the run. Midfielder Ally Kennedy ended the shutout bid with an unassisted marker in the closing seconds of the second quarter, but the deficit was too much to overcome for Team Read.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Moreno’s 245 leaderboard points allowed her to earn back the top spot in the league standings with a 211-point advantage over attacker Sam Apuzzo heading into Sunday’s Week Two finale between their respective teams. Defender Abby Bosco moved into third place after rising 15 spots on the strength of her 147-point performance on Saturday night.

GAME NOTES

Team Read and Team Moreno combined to register five assists in Saturday’s nightcap, moving the league’s season total to 64 assists through 10 games … Aspiration is committed to planting 10 trees for every assist during the season as part of its ‘Aspiration Assists’ initiative.
Team Moreno initiated a captain’s challenge on a goal by defender Marge Donovan with 7:05 left in the second quarter … The challenge was successful and the goal was disallowed.
Team Read initiated a captain’s challenge on a goal by attacker Taylor VanThof with 47 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, which was unsuccessful.
The Blue jersey dropped to 0-5 this season after Team Read’s second straight setback.
Team Moreno collected just five ground balls in Saturday’s win, which are the fewest by a team this season.
North authored the 10th hat trick of her Athletes Unlimited career, which ranks second in league history behind Apuzzo’s 13 hat tricks.
Moreno now owns 13 double-digit save performances in 17 career Athletes Unlimited games … Her 14 saves are also tied for the second-highest single-game total in league history.
Attacker Livy Rosenzweig scored her first goal as a professional with 1:35 remaining in the fourth quarter after converting a free-position shot.
Moreau notched her second multi-goal game of the season.