Category: Rutgers women’s lacrosse

Rutgers lacrosse’s Cassidy Spilis named 2024 All-American by USA Lacrosse Magazine

Cassidy Spilis named All-American.

Rutgers lacrosse star [autotag]Cassidy Spilis[/autotag] has continued to add new hardware to her trophy case over the past week.

Last Thursday, the New Jersey native was named a 2024 All-American by USA Lacrosse Magazine. It marked the fourth straight year Spilis has been recognized by the publication.

During the 2024 campaign, Spilis scored 74 goals and dished out five assists. She was a scoring machine regardless of the opponent, scoring five or more goals in a game five times. While she led Rutgers offense, Spilis was also one of the best players in the country. 

The talented midfielder finished her fifth (and final) season at Rutgers second in the Big Ten in goals per game (4.11), third in caused turnovers per game (2.00), and fourth in points per game (4.39). That is partly why Spilis was a unanimous First-Team All-Big Ten pick. 

The new all-time leader in career points for @rutgers_wlax: Cassidy Spilis 👏 pic.twitter.com/duoCQscNhM

— Big Ten Lacrosse (@B1GLacrosse) April 19, 2024

While Spilis was one of the best at her position, she also rewrote Rutgers’ record books. With 281 points, she became the program’s all-time leader in points scored. Her excellent play became the standard every time she stepped on the field. 

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As Spilis prepares for life after Rutgers, she finishes her college career with impressive accolades. That includes four-time First Team All-Big Ten and three-time All-American selections. Although her impact will be hard to replace, her impact on Rutgers women’s will never be forgotten. 

Rutgers women’s lacrosse star Cassidy Spillis gets Big Ten honor

Cassidy Spillis is honored by the Big Ten.

Over the last five years, Cassidy Spillis has been a human highlight reel for Rutgers women’s lacrosse. On Monday, she added to her trophy case as the New Jersey native was named the Big Ten Midfielder of the Year. It is the second time she has won the award. 

While the news came as no surprise, Spillis joined special company. She is the second player in Big Ten history to win the award multiple times. She also became the first two-time unanimous midfielder of the year in Big Ten history. The honor is well deserved following an unforgettable season. 

During the 2024 campaign, Spillis was a scoring machine for Rutgers. In 18 games, she set career highs in points with 79, goals with 74, and assists with five. For just the second time in her career, Spillis reached the 71-point mark. Due to her play, Rutgers women’s lacrosse made a deep playoff run.

Cassidy Spillis gets us started!

Rutgers leads Penn State 1-0 with nine minutes left in the first!#BxB 🧱 | #GoRU pic.twitter.com/eCD95jSMWJ

— Rutgers Women’s Lacrosse (@rutgers_wlax) March 9, 2024

Although Rutgers’ season came to an end on Thursday against Penn State in the Big Ten semifinals, Spillis leaves behind an unforgettable legacy. She finished her Rutgers career as the program’s all-time leader in points with 281, goals with 266, and draw controls with 313. While replacing her will be no easy task, Rutgers fans have been lucky enough to watch one of the best in program history over the last five years. 

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Tuesday provided another reminder of why Spillis will be a player who will never be forgotten and always connected to Rutgers athletics. 

Rutgers lax goalkeeper named Defensive Player of the Week

Rutgers women’s lacrosse got a weekly Big Ten honor.

During the 2024 campaign, Sophia Cardello has been a key piece of Rutgers lacrosse. On Tuesday, she was recognized for her stellar play when she was named the IWLCA Defensive Player of the Week. It is the first nationally weekly recognition of Cardello’s career. 

Last week, the Massapequa, New York native recorded a season-high 15 saves in a 9-8 win over Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. As the Scarlet Knights pulled out a close victory, Cardello came through in the clutch with back-to-back stops in the final 15 seconds. In her stellar performance, Rutgers star held the Terrapins to their lowest goal total of the season. 

While Cardello made headlines due to her top play, it is the type of production Rutgers has come to expect. In 17 games this season, her .470 save percentage is the third-best in the Big Ten. She also ranks third in the conference with a 10.59 goals-against average. She ranks fourth in saves with 151. 

Sophia Cardello calls GAME!

See you in Evanston!#BxB 🧱 | #GoRU pic.twitter.com/iqdPgmQ7Tp

— Rutgers Women’s Lacrosse (@rutgers_wlax) April 27, 2024

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Although Rutgers had a reason to celebrate on Tuesday, their focus is on beating Penn State on Thursday afternoon. In the Big Ten semifinals, they will need Cardello at her best as they take on a Nittany Lions team that went 10-6 in the regular season. 

Rutgers women’s lacrosse standout Cassidy Spilis earns another Big Ten honor

Casidy Spilis got a weekly Big Ten lacrosse honor.

During the 2024 season, Rutgers women’s lacrosse star Cassidy Spilis has been a human highlight reel and scoring machine. As a result, she has added some hardware to her trophy case and that continued on Tuesday.

Most recently, the Rutgers standout was named the Big Ten Midfielder of the Week for the sixth time this season.

Last Thursday, Spilis’ impact was on display against Ohio State. She sparked a 6-1 scoring run, which included three of her game-high five goals. During that stretch, she also made history, becoming the program’s all-time points scorer with 269. She finished her day against the Buckeyes with five goals, six draw controls, four ground balls, and two caused turnovers.

Her excellence did not stop there; three days later, she impressed against Vermont. On Sunday, Spilis added four goals and one assist to her resume. She also caused chaos on defense, forcing five turnovers. Regardless of the opponent, she continued to show why she is one of the best at her position.

GOAL NO. 60! Cassidy Spilis is now two points away from the program career record thanks to this player-up goal!

OSU 7, RU 4 pic.twitter.com/1hAyXJqxSc

— Rutgers Women’s Lacrosse (@rutgers_wlax) April 18, 2024

 

Through 68 games, Spilis has put together the best season of her career. She has set career highs in goals with 68 and points with 72. While she has excelled, the Scarlet Knights have been one of the best teams in the Big Ten. 

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As Rutgers shifts its focus to the Big Ten tournament, Spilis will be crucial. Tuesday provided a reminder of how important she is and the impact she can make. 

Rutgers women’s lacrosse rallies to defeat Buckeyes in overtime

Rutgers women’s lacrosse (7-7, 1-5) came from behind to defeat the Ohio State Buckeyes (5-10, 0-6) 13-12 in a thrilling overtime victory.

Rutgers women’s lacrosse (7-7, 1-5) came from behind to defeat the Ohio State Buckeyes (5-10, 0-6) 13-12 in a thrilling overtime victory Thursday night. This victory marks Rutgers’ fifth consecutive win over the Buckeyes in the all-time series.

Rutgers overcame a five-goal deficit in the fourth quarter to get their first Big Ten win of the season.

Freshman Lily Dixon finished with a career-high four goals, three coming during Rutgers’ 6-0 scoring run to end the game. With time winding down in overtime, senior Jenna Byrne found Dixon for the game-winner to seal Rutgers’ victory.

Ohio State took their largest lead of the game (12-7) when Caly O’Brien scored with 14:15 left in the fourth quarter. Rutgers didn’t stop fighting, countering with a 5-0 scoring run. Down 12-8 with 12:07 left in the fourth, Marin Hartshorn cut the Buckeyes’ lead to three. With that goal, Hartshorn becomes the fifth player in program history to hit 200 points during her career. Ava Kane and Dixon followed Hartshorn’s unassisted goal with their own goals.

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With only 2:40 left in the game, senior Cassidy Spills scored her second goal of the night, tieing the game. The Buckeyes tried to take the lead with a last-second push, but Rutgers goalie Sophia Cardello stopped the Buckeyes’ surge keeping the game tied.

Senior Meghan Hall caused a game-high five turnovers as Rutgers’ defense forced Ohio State into 17 turnovers. The Scarlet Knights’ victory locked up the No. 6 seed for this year’s Big Ten Tournament when it begins on Saturday, April 29.

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RUpset! Rutgers women’s lacrosse downs top 10 Stony Brook with emphatic win

Rutgers women’s lacrosse landed a big upset on Wednesday night.

Rutgers women’s lacrosse got their most impressive win of the season, downing No. 7 Stony Brook on Wednesday night with a 12-7 win.

With the win, Rutgers is now 5-7 (0-5 Big Ten) and got a much-needed win. They went from being ranked for much of the first half of the season to now not even receiving votes in the latest rankings.

The Scarlet Knights came into the midweek match with four straight losses and a record in the Big Ten that was not necessarily indicative of their play this season.

Two of their losses in Big Ten play, against Penn State (receiving votes) and Johns Hopkins (receiving votes), came by a combined three goals. Had either one of those games, or even both gone their way, then this season would have a different feel to it.

All of which underscores the importance of Wednesday night. Rutgers was led by four goals from Cassidy Spilis.

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With the loss, Stony Brook is now 9-3.

 

Tied 4-4 after the first quarter, Rutgers limited Stony Brook to just three goals in the remainder of the game. Sophia Cardello was impressive, posting 12 saves in the win.

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The Scarlet Knights return to action on Saturday in an out-of-conference game at Vermont.

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Kate Carolonza is taking her game to another level

In her junior season, Kate Carolonza is on pace to have a career year for Rutgers women’s lacrosse.

So far this season, Rutgers women’s lacrosse has gotten contributions offensively throughout the lineup. Six players have ten or more points, including Kate Carolonza, who is third on the team with 16. In her third season as a Scarlet Knight, the Mountain Lakes native is on pace to have a career year.

Through 10 games, Carolonza has scored 11 goals and added five assists to her resume. She has also landed 20 shots on net and come through in clutch situations with one game-winning goal. While the season is far from over, she is making more of an impact in her junior season for Rutgers.

During the 2022 campaign, Carolonza recorded 19 points in 21 games. After not appearing in a game during her freshman year, the Mountain Lakes High School product made the most of her opportunities and scored multiple goals in four games. She has carried that success into the 2023 season.

While the Scarlet Knights are off to a 4-6 start and have lost three straight games, Carolonza has been a bright spot. She has three games with multiple goals, including her only hat trick of the season against Vanderbilt on April 13th. With more playing time, she is showing the impact she can make.

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As Rutgers looks to turn their season around, Carolonza will be a player to watch. The talented junior is third on the team in goals, assists, and game-winning goals. She has been one of Rutgers most consistent players and is taking her game to another level.

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Sophia Cardello has been a reliable presence in net for Rutgers women’s lacrosse

Sophia Cardello is having a strong season for Rutgers women’s lacrosse.

Over the last few years, Sophia Cardello is a name that Rutgers fans have become familiar with. The Massapequa native has started 43 games for the Scarlet Knights and, in that span and posted a 23-15 record. So far this season, she has continued to receive the bulk of the playing time and built on her success.

In 10 games, Cardello has recorded a 4-6 record while making 92 saves. The talented junior has posted a .479 save percentage in that span and continued to be a durable presence with 573:46 minutes of playing time. While the Scarlet Knights have lost three straight, if the season were to end today, Cardello would finish with the highest save percentage of her career.

Although Cardello has struggled lately, she has four starts with ten or more saves. Two of those came in the last three weeks against Vanderbilt and Michigan. As the Scarlet Knights look to get back on track, they will need Cardello to rediscover her earlier season form.

Cardello started the season with 27 saves in her first three starts. The Scarlet Knights went 3-0 in that span as Cardello did not allow more than eight goals in a start. With the Massapequa High School product at her best, Rutgers was a hard team to beat.

As the season continues, the starting job is Cardello’s to lose. Caleigh Forti has seen some time in net this season but has only appeared in two games. Cardello will be looking to help Rutgers get back in the win column on Thursday when they take on the second-best team in the nation Northwestern.

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Marin Hartshorn is leading Rutgers offensive attack

Martin Hartshorn is off to an impressive start for Rutgers women’s lacrosse.

For Rutgers attacker Martin Hartshorn, expectations were high entering the 2023 season. The Scarlet Knights lacrosse star is off to a fantastic start so far.

The Allentown, PA native was coming off the best season of her collegiate career. During the 2022 campaign high, she set career highs in goals, assists, points, and shots. She has built on her success through the first few weeks of the season.

In nine games, Hartshorn has scored 19 goals and added 13 assists to her resume. She has already landed 34 shots on net and is only 16 points of 200 in her career. In Hartshorn’s fifth season as a Scarlet Knight, she is again proving to be a key piece of their success.

Additionally, she has been a points machine over the last two weeks. In that span, she 18 points, including a season-high six against Vanderbilt on the 18th. Her ability to find the back of the net and put her teammates in a position to be successful make Hartshorn a unique talent.

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As Rutgers looks to continue their hot start, Hartshorn will be relied on offensively. She showed last year that she is a threat with the ball in her stick, which has again proven to be the case. Along with Cassidy Spilis, Rutgers has a potent offense.

While the season is far from over, Hartshorn leads Rutgers in almost every statistic offensively by a large margin. As a result, she has created optimism for what the rest of the 2023 campaign will bring.

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Rutgers women’s lacrosse hold steady in Week 2’s USA Lacrosse rankings

Coming off a 15-8 victory over Georgetown, No. 7 Rutgers holds steady in Week 2’s Nike / USA Women’s Lacrosse power rankings.

No. 7 Rutgers holds steady in Week 2’s Nike / USA Women’s Lacrosse power rankings. Coming off a 15-8 victory over Georgetown, the Scarlet Knights will try to seek their fourth consecutive win as they take on Army this Saturday. According to ILWomen/IWLCA Division I rankings, the 3-0 No. 9 Scarlet Knights moved back one spot, switching places with 2-0 No. 8 Loyola.

Against Georgetown, Rutgers Cassidy Spilis and Marin Hartshorn combined for 11 points as the Scarlet Knights dropped 15 goals. Rutgers Meghan Ball, anchoring Rutgers’ back line, provided excellent defense for the Scarlet Knights, causing a program record six turnovers. Ball also contributed four groundballs, guiding the Scarlet Knights to an easy victory.

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Before starting Big Ten play against Penn State on March 11, the Scarlet Knights have one more non-conference game against Army. Unranked Army is riding a three-game winning streak as they prepare for a home game against the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers’ team leader in goals, Cassidy Spilis, will look to continue her dominant play. Spilis has 12 goals this season, five more than any Army player. Going up against goalie Lacey Bartholomay with a 66% save percentage, Rutgers will be challenged against Army as the Scarlet Knights seek their fourth consecutive win this season.

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