March 24, 2011
By Jeff Sattora, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - In most sports, coaches and players will tell you that you need experience to lead a team, don't tell that to Penn State women's lacrosse freshman Mackenzie Cyr.
The Freshman attacker led the Lions Wednesday night with three goals and three assists in a 17-9 home win over the Lafayette Leopards to bring the Lions above .500 at 5-4 with their 4th straight win.
"I think Mackenzie, as a freshman is now finding her groove on the field," said Penn State assistant coach Tara Hohenshelt, adding, "She's moving hard with the ball and when you're moving hard with the ball you're going to create openings."
While Cyr was great the seniors didn't let her steal all the highlights as Laura Lesnick and Jackie Eastman each had three goals a piece for the Lions.
Cyr and Lesnick really seemed to have a rhythm going as Cyr assisted on two of Lesnick's goals and Lesnick assisted on one of Cyr's.
"Mackenzie's a great feeder and Laura's a great cutter so you could kind of see that today when they were really seeing each other well," Penn State head coach Missy Doherty said following the win.
The Lions struggled early out of the gates and were even down 3-1 as late as 13 minutes into the game.
"I think they could have played a little bit better but I was glad to see they rallied when they should," Doherty said.
And rally is just what the Lions did, scoring 10 of the game's next 11 goals after the 3-1 deficit to put the game away.
That streak included a controversial late first half goal that seemed to really swing momentum heading for the rest of the game.
The Lions, getting the ball at just over midfield ran down field and scored in what (at least according to the clock) amounted to 2.9 seconds of the half's remaining 5.8. The officials overruled the Leopards, who stated the clock didn't start on time, and the goal stood.
The goal took the game from only a two-goal lead to three for the home team, and the Leopards never recovered.
Doherty seemed disappointed the event had to play out, saying, "It was unfortunate, you never like to have a mishap like that on your home turf and my hope is that we would have gotten the goal in in the allotted time even if it would have ran out at the buzzer."
"I was definitely happy about it," said attacker Jen Steadman who scored the controversial goal, "I think it was good for momentum into the second half."
That momentum really carried as the Lions scored four straight goals to start the second half of play.
"Our scoring stepped up, our shots started going in, we just started playing a little bit better,' Doherty said.
The Coach was also quick to give Lafayette credit in the first half adding, "Defensively in the first half they were good and we weren't necessarily moving the ball as quickly as we should have."
The Lions will look to continue their winning ways on the road this weekend against number 16 ranked William and Mary.
"It's going to be a tough game and I'm excited," Steadman said.
Doherty also knows just how good this William and Mary squad is saying, "They're really good, they have a bunch of great seniors and they're having a really good year even though their record is even."
The Lions will look to take on that talented group of seniors for William and Mary with some of their own, but don't be surprised if a certain freshman once again steals the show.
