UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; March 18, 2006 - The No. 14 Penn State women's lacrosse team ended a three-game home stretch by falling to visiting fourth-ranked Princeton, 17-9, Saturday afternoon in Holuba Hall. The loss was the Nittany Lions third straight and evens their overall 2006 record at 3-3. Princeton ups its season mark to 2-2 with the victory.
Princeton jumped out to an early lead and then built on it, fashioning a 6-0 advantage through the first 15 minutes of the game. Tigers Caitlin Reimers and Katherine Miller each notched two goals in the run. Undaunted, Penn State answered back with four consecutive goals to pull within striking distance of Princeton. Jessi Lieb (Villanova, Pa.), with an assist from Shari Maslin (New City, N.Y.), put the Lions on the scoreboard, netting her 12th goal of the season at the 14:25 mark. Lindsay Hagemann (Watertown, N.Y.), Kerry Shea (Baltimore, Md.), and Maslin followed suit with goals to make the game 6-4 with nine minutes remaining in the opening period. The goal by Hagemann was the first of her Nittany Lion career.
The Tigers would go on to add a goal just before the half to stake a 7-4 advantage at the break.
Penn State drew first blood in the second period, needing just one minute and two seconds to cut into the Princeton lead. Freshman Megan McGuire (Eldersburg, Md.) earned the goal while sophomore Kim Kontson (Davidsonville, Md.) was credited with an assist on the play. However, the Tigers responded strongly, dampening the comeback hopes of the Lions with four straight goals to make the contest 11-5 with 11 minutes left on the clock.
The Lions refused to go quietly and goals by McGuire, Lieb, and Lindsay Dutch (Ellicott City, Md.) over the next three minutes brought Penn State to within four of Princeton. But five Tiger goals over the final seven minutes snuffed out the Nittany Lions' comeback bid.
Penn State's offense featured a balanced attack as six different players scored goals and four different players tallied assists. Shari Maslin, Megan McGuire, and Jessi Lieb led the Lions with two goals each.
Sophomore goalkeeper Jess Bossio (Northport, N.Y.), starting in her first collegiate game, saw 31 shots and collected five saves.
Penn State takes to the road next week for a rugged three-game swing. The Nittany Lions travel to Philadelphia, Pa. on Tues., March 21 for a 4:00 p.m. game with Temple. On Fri., March 24, Penn State will clash with No. 7 Maryland at 7:00 p.m. in College Park. Two days later, the Lions will remain in College Park to take on No. 8 North Carolina in a game scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
