Princeton, N.J., March 19, 2005 - The 10th-ranked Penn State women¡¯s lacrosse upended the top-ranked team in the nation for the second week in a row, toppling No. 1 Princeton 14-13 in triple overtime Saturday afternoon in Princeton, N.J. The Nittany Lions improve to 5-1 while handing the Tigers not only their first loss of the season (3-1), but their first regular-season loss since April 9, 2003 (at Yale) and its first loss at Class of 1952 Stadium since March 9, 2003 (Loyola). The Tigers had won 24 straight regular-season games and 20 consecutive games on their home turf.

Last week on March 11, Penn State defeated defending national champion and then-No. 1 Virginia, 10-7, in Charlottesville, Va.

¡°It was awesome,¡± said head coach Suzanne Isidor. ¡°It was a battle and was back and forth the whole game. But we gutted it out and finished strong, it was a great team effort. The players stayed in the game, mentally and physically, for more than 60 minutes and the seniors really rose to the occasion, especially at the end. It was a great and exciting win.¡±

Senior Kristen Burke (Severna Park, Md.) scored off a pass from senior Emily Chambers (Valley Cottage, N.Y.) with just 1:22 remaining in the sudden-victory triple overtime period for the win. The two teams played the first two three-minute overtime periods without a goal to force the sudden-victory overtime. Burke's game-winner came after Chambers dodged behind the net. Chambers then found Burke in front, and Burke quick-sticked a shot past Princeton goalie Sarah Kolodner, who had initially come out of the net to defend on Chambers.

Each team had a terrific chance in the first two overtime periods, but neither came to fruition. Princeton's Mary Minshall had a free-position attempt late in the first three-minute overtime, but her shot was saved by Penn State goalie Lee Tortorelli (nine saves). Penn State then nearly went ahead in the final 10 seconds of the second three-minute period, but Shari Maslin's bounce shot hit the crossbar and bounced away from the goal.

Burke led the Nittany Lions with a career-high six goals as junior Lori Havrilla (Devon, Pa.) added four and Chambers, sophomore Lindsay Dutch (Ellicott City, Md.), junior Shari Maslin (New City, N.Y.) and sophomore Joanie Plake (Pittsburgh, Pa.) all posted one goal. Burke, Chambers, Havrilla and junior Lauren Bryan (Folsom, Pa.) all tallied one assist in the contest.

Both teams recorded 28 shots in the game while Princeton picked up 19 ground balls to Penn State¡¯s 16. Draws were even at 15-15 and the Lions committed one less turnover, 14-13.

Sophomore Renee Cipro (Ellicott City, Md.) and senior Skye Middleton (West Chester, Pa.) led the Lions with three ground balls each as Cipro also recorded three caused turnovers. Maslin, Chambers and freshman Jessi Lieb (Villanova, Pa.) all picked up three draw controls to lead the Lions.

Senior goalkeeper Lee Tortorelli (Havertown, Pa.) notched nine saves on 28 shots.

Princeton¡¯s Courtney Bird put the Tigers on the board less than three minutes into the contest with an unassisted goal before Havrilla responded to even the score 11 seconds later. Dutch put Penn State ahead 2-1 with a score off a pass from Burke with 26:47 remaining in the first half. Following a Princeton score at the 26:24 mark, the Nittany Lions responded with three goals of their own, one each from Chambers, Havrilla and Plake, to put Penn State up 5-2 with just over 23 minutes remaining in the half. But Princeton scored six of the next eight goals to take the 8-7 advantage with 9:26 left before halftime. A Burke goal with 57 seconds knotted the score at 8-8 going into the break.

The teams traded goals twice to begin halftime and another Burke goal put Penn State ahead 11-10 with 17:33 left in the game. Princeton responded with two goals of its own to go up 12-11 before scores from Havrilla and Burke gave the Lions the 13-12 lead with just 7:56 left. But another Tiger goal with just 2:40 left in the game knotted the score at 13-13 to force the overtime periods.

Penn State won each draw control in the overtime and outshot Princeton 12-8 in the second half and 5-1 in the overtime periods.

The Nittany Lions return home on March 22 for a 3:00 p.m. game with Temple.

For more information on the Penn State women¡¯s lacrosse team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com.