Feb. 24, 2008
PHILADELPHIA - The No. 14 Penn State women's lacrosse team (0-1) dug itself a first half hole that a furious late game comeback attempt could not overcome and the Nittany Lions dropped their 2008 season opener to Temple (1-0) in Philadelphia, 8-7.
Penn State struggled on both ends of the field in the first half, as Temple built a 7-3 lead. An early goal by senior attacker Kim Kontson (Davidsonville, Md.) knotted the game at 1-1, but the Owls scored two straight to stake a lead 13 minutes in. A score by junior midfielder Aly Carter (Summit, N.J.) inched Penn State closer, but Temple would go on to outscore the Nittany Lions 4-1 in the final 17 minutes to claim the four-goal halftime advantage. Senior midfielder and Tewaaraton Trophy candidate Jessi Lieb (Villanova, Pa.) accounted for the Lions other goal, netted at the 6:29 mark.
The Nittany Lions came out strong in the second half, especially on defense. After sophomore Theresa Bucci (Hudson, Ohio) made the score 7-4 with her first goal of the season, Temple pushed its lead back to four with a goal with 19:34 remaining in the game. However, that score would be the Owls last of the game.
Sophomore Erica Mihm (Annapolis, Md.) helped chip away at the Temple lead with her lone goal of the game over a minute later, but a PSU scoring drought over the next 17 minutes seemingly took the Nittany Lions out of the game. But with time dwindling down, junior Mariel Bryan (Folsom, Pa.) did her best to put Penn State in position to tie or win the game, scoring two goals in the game's final minute. However, that was all of the offense that the Lions could muster and the Lions fell for the first time in their season opener since a 16-12 loss to Vanderbilt in 2004.
Senior goalkeeper Jess Boccio (Northport, N.Y.) went the distance in net for Penn State, collecting eight saves. Five of those saves came in the final period, when Boccio allowed just the only early goal.
Five freshmen made their Penn State debut versus Temple, including two who earned starts, defender Maggie Dunbar (Cockeysville, Md.) and midfielder Laura Lesnick (Jarrettsville, Md.). Ashley Boccio (Northport, N.Y.), Jackie Eastman (Springfield, Pa.), and Jen Steadman (Sykesville, Md.) came off the bench.
The Nittany Lions remain on the road for their next game when they travel locally to Lewisburg, Pa. to take on Patriot League foe Bucknell on Wed., Feb. 27. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the home of the Bison, Graham Field. Last season, 13 different Nittany Lions netted goals in a 19-6 rout of Bucknell at Holuba Hall in University Park. Penn State opens its 2008 home schedule on Sun., March 2 when it hosts Colgate in a 1 p.m. contest.
FREE- DOWNLOAD THE PENN STATE SPORTS DESKTOP APPLICATION HERE