UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; April 6, 2007 - Sophomore Kerry Shea (Baltimore, Md.) netted the game-winning goal with 47 seconds left in overtime as the No. 10 Penn State women's lacrosse team (8-3) won a thrilling 8-7 victory over No. 2 North Carolina (10-2) Friday night at Holuba Hall.
Senior goalkeeper Cammie Jurkowsky (Annapolis, Md.) recorded a career high 20 saves and was the cornerstone of a Nittany Lion defense that held a Tar Heel team that had been averaging over 13 goals a game to just seven. The victory gives Penn State its second win over a top 10 team this season and is their first win over UNC since 2003.
North Carolina drew first blood, scoring less than four minutes into the game. Penn State then answered right back, as sophomore Marisa Lozano (Pittsburgh, Pa.) got the Nittany Lions on the board with a goal at the 25 minute mark. Freshman Theresa Bucci (Hudson, Ohio) scored a goal four minutes later, providing Penn State with its first lead of the game.
After another Tar Heel score, freshman Mary LeNoir (Timonium, Md.) found net, giving Penn State a 3-2 lead. It would be the last time the Nittany Lions would be up until the three minute mark of the second half. Two more North Carolina goals put the visitors up 4-3 at halftime.
Junior Jessi Lieb (Villanova, Pa.) tallied the first of her two goals in the opening moments of the second half to tie the game at 4-4. North Carolina then scored two straight goals to take their largest lead of the game. However the Penn State defense, headlined by Tewaaraton Trophy candidate Renee Cipro (Ellicott City, Md.), stiffened and held the Tar Heels scoreless for the next 20 minutes.
Penn State then went on a 3-0 run to take back the lead. Freshman Erica Mihm (Annapolis, Md.) began the rally by netting a goal with 16 minutes left in the game. Shea then recorded her 17th goal of the season, forcing the game's fifth tie. Lieb followed with a free position score to give Penn State a 7-6 lead with three minutes and 32 seconds left in regulation.
Penn State was unable to hold on to the lead though, as North Carolina scored the tying goal with a minute left. The Tar Heels had a chance to win it in regulation, but Jurkowsky came up with two key saves in the final 10 seconds and the game headed to overtime.
The teams played the first three-minute overtime period without a score. Penn State won the draw to start the second overtime period, and would hold the ball for a late shot. Shea was fouled slashing to the net with 47 seconds left, and then buried the free position goal to give the game its final score.
The epic clash between the two top 10 teams concluded day one of the ALC/ACC Challenge. Maryland and Ohio State met in the early game, with the Terrapins claiming victory, 19-12.
Penn State gets little opportunity to celebrate their win, as they face another top-ranked team on Sunday in No. 3 Maryland. The Nittany Lions and Terrapins will square off 3 p.m. in the finale of the ALC/ACC Challenge. Ohio State and No. 2 North Carolina will meet at noon to begin the day's action. Both games will played indoors at Holuba Hall.
