Game Notes
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; March 9, 2006 - The No. 7 Penn State women's lacrosse team will put its perfect 3-0 record on the line Friday afternoon when it welcomes ACC power No. 10 Virginia (4-1) to Holuba Hall for a 5:00 p.m. contest. The match-up of top 10 teams is the opener of a three-game home stand for the Nittany Lions that will also feature games against nationally ranked William & Mary and Princeton.
Penn State put together another strong showing in its last outing, as the Lions pounded regional foe Bucknell, 19-5, on March 3 in Lewisburg, Pa. It marked the second consecutive game that Penn State's offense produced 19 goals in victory. Senior co-captain Shari Maslin (New City, N.Y.) led the Nittany Lions with a single game career-high six goals, one of 11 different Lions to net goals in the decisive victory over the Bison. Junior Lindsay Dutch (Ellicott City, Md.) added three goals and tallied two assists.
Virginia enters Friday's match-up with Penn State riding an impressive two-game winning streak. In a span of just three days, the Cavaliers knocked off Syracuse at home and upset No. 4 Maryland on the road by identical 14-9 scores. After starting the season with wins over Vanderbilt and Temple, Virginia suffered its only setback of the season thus far, an 8-7 upset loss to Richmond on March 1.
When Penn State and Virginia square off on Friday, two sets of sisters, the Liebs and the Havrillas, will be vying for family bragging rights. Jessi Lieb (Villanova, Pa.), a sophomore, will be facing her older sister, Nikki, a senior. The sisters, while on different teams, form a talented sibling duo, as both have been named to the preseason Tewaaraton Trophy Watch List. Lori Havrilla (Devon, Pa.), a sophomore, will meet her younger sister, Megan, a junior, on the field of play. Lori is one of Penn State's top scoring threats while Megan has started three games this season, notching two goals.
Youth serves the Cavaliers well as newcomer Blair Weymouth leads head coach Julie Myers' team in goals, assists, and points. Through four games, the freshman phenom has netted 17 goals and totaled eight assists. Another rookie, Whitaker Hagerman has tallied nine goals. Senior Tyler Leachman, a Tewaaraton Trophy Watch List nominee, is another dangerous offensive weapon (11 goals) in the Cavaliers' arsenal. Classmate Nikki Lieb, is a two-time All-American midfielder.
In a series that began in 1983, Penn State possesses a 4-12-0 all-time record versus Virginia. A year ago, the Nittany Lions snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Cavaliers, winning 10-7 in Charlottesville. Lindsay Dutch scored three goals and Jessi Lieb recorded three assists to lead the Lions. Penn State last beat Virginia in University Park in 1996, a 10-9 victory.
After clashing with No. 19 William & Mary on Sunday at 12:00 p.m., Penn State wraps up a three-game homestand on Sat., March 18 when it hosts No. 6 Princeton in a 3:00 p.m. game at Holuba Hall. The Nittany Lions will then face Temple, Maryland, and North Carolina on the road the following week.
