March 14, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 19 Penn State women's lacrosse team (2-2) will conclude a four game home stand on Sat., March 15 when it hosts No. 4 Princeton (3-0) in a 3 p.m. match-up at Bigler Field. The Nittany Lions are 2-1 in home games this season, claiming dominating wins over Colgate and William & Mary while suffering its loss to Virginia. The non-conference contest will immediately follow the PSU men's lacrosse team's clash with Vermont, which is scheduled to begin at noon.
In its last its last outing on March 9, Penn State used a high-powered offense to defeat William & Mary, 18-12, in Holuba Hall. Senior Jessi Lieb (Villanova, Pa.) more than doubled her season point total versus the Tribe, totaling a team-high six points on four goals and two assists. Lieb's four scores was tops among six Nittany Lions that netted multiple goals in the victory. Sophomore Mary LeNoir (Timonium, Md.) upped her team-leading goal total to eight by posting a hat trick. Freshman Jen Steadman (Sykesville, Md.) not only tallied the first goal and assist of her career but also added one more of each for a four-point effort. Senior Kim Kontson (Davidsonville, Md.) also contributed a two goal, two assist performance, giving her a team-high six assists for the year.
Princeton enters Saturday's match-up with momentum after earning an impressive 13-8 home upset of No. 3 Duke on March 8. Senior Katie Lewis-Lamonica spearheaded the stunner, bouncing back from an ankle injury to net seven goals. Lewis-Lamonica, along with junior Christine Casaceli top the Tigers in goals with eight each. Senior Ashley Amo (2 goals, 6 assists) and junior Holly McGarvie (7 goals) are also key to the Princeton attack. The Tiger defense has been stout in 2008, allowing just an average of seven goals per game. Starting goalkeeper sophomore Kaitlyn Perrelle boasts a 6.00 goals against average and has recorded 14 saves against 55 total shots.
Penn State owns a 12-17 all-time record versus Ivy League member Princeton. In 2007, the Nittany Lions, behind multiple goal efforts by Lindsay Dutch, Jessi Lieb, and Mariel Bryan, knocked off No. 8 Princeton, 8-7, in Princeton, N.J. The victory was just PSU's second versus the Tigers in its last 10 meetings.
Next week, the Nittany Lions embark on a tough two-game road swing that will feature games at No. 5 Pennsylvania and No. 10 Vanderbilt. Penn State will first travel to Philadelphia to face the Quakers on Wed., March 19 in a 6 p.m. game at Franklin Field. A year ago, the Lions struggled in their match-up with Penn, falling 16-5 at Jeffrey Field. Penn State will then trek south to Nashville, Tenn. to open American Lacrosse Conference play against the Commodores on Sun., March 23 at 1:00 p.m. ET. In its all-time series with Vanderbilt, PSU is 6-4, including last season's 9-7 narrow home loss.