Recap: Team Moreno surges to 7-6 win over Team Bosco

Taylor Moreno remains No. 1 headed into the final day of the season.

© Athletes Unlimited, LLC 2023 / Credit: Kait Devir
Eric Rhew
Aug 12, 2023

SPARKS, Md. — Team Bosco sent plenty of shots towards the goal in its Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse game against Team Moreno on Saturday. The only problem was goalkeeper Taylor Moreno was stopping nearly everything that came her way.

The reigning league champion nearly matched her own single-game record with 16 saves as Team Moreno earned its second straight win with a 7-6 thriller at USA Lacrosse Headquarters.

While Team Moreno upped its record to 2-0 in the final week of the season, Team Bosco dropped to 0-2.

Moreno, the game’s MVP 1 selection, tallied nine of her saves in the second half while limiting Team Bosco to just two goals after the intermission, which came in the third quarter. Moreno, who also had two ground balls, finished with 188 leaderboard points to lead all players.

Midfielder Ally Kennedy followed with the MVP 2 commendation after netting two goals with an assist. Kennedy, who also added four ground balls, two caused turnovers and a draw control, secured 151 points.

Attacker Kylie Ohlmiller registered a hat trick to complete the MVP trio for Team Moreno, earning 108 leaderboard points.

Midfielder Erica Evans and attacker Charlotte North each scored twice with an assist in the loss for Team Bosco, while goalkeeper Caylee Waters tallied four saves.

KEY MOMENT

Trailing by a 6-5 margin after the third quarter, Ohlmiller netted back-to-back goals in a two-minute span during the final frame to give Team Moreno a one-point edge it did not relinquish. The Team Moreno defense locked down Team Bosco in the final three minutes.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Moreno enters the final day of the season with a 189-point lead over attacker Sam Apuzzo after earning her fifth Game MVP award of the season. Defender Abby Bosco stands fifth in the league standings with 1,147 points, but is just 35 points behind midfielder Marie McCool for fourth place.

GAME NOTES

  • Team Bosco and Team Moreno combined to dish out seven assists in Saturday’s second game, moving the league’s season assist total to 138 through 22 games … Aspiration is committed to planting 10 trees for every assist this season as part of its ‘Aspiration Assists’ initiative.

  • Team Bosco outshot Team Moreno by a 33-21 margin while holding a 10-7 edge in draw controls.

  • The Blue jersey holds a 1-10 record this season after Team Bosco lost for the second straight game.

  • Ohlmiller registered the seventh hat trick of her Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse career, including her third in as many games … She has also scored 12 of her 18 goals in the last three games.

  • Kennedy fashioned her 16th career multi-goal effort in the win with two goals.

  • Evans has five multi-goal games this season after scoring two goals for the second straight game … North, meanwhile, owns seven multi-goal efforts, including three in the last four games.

  • Moreno extended her Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse career record by registering her 18th career game with 10 or more saves … She also became the first netminder to notch 15 or more saves in multiple games during a career.

  • Bosco has fashioned a caused turnover in all 11 games this season, including seven contests with multiple caused turnovers.

GAME MVPS

  • #1 – Taylor Moreno (Team Moreno, +45)
  • #2 – Ally Kennedy (Team Moreno, +30)
  • #3 – Kylie Ohlmiller (Team Moreno, +15)