March 19, 2008
PHILADELPHIA - The 18th-ranked Penn State women's lacrosse team (2-4) dropped a game to a top 10 opponent for the second time in five days on Wednesday evening, falling to No. 8 Pennsylvania (5-1), 14-7, on a rain-slicked Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
Penn State played Penn evenly for the game's first six minutes, matching two Quaker scores with goals by senior Kim Kontson (Davidsonville, Md.) and sophomore Mary LeNoir (Timonium, Md.).
However, it would be the 30-plus minutes that would define the game. During that span, Penn State was outscored 12-0 and Penn fashioned what would prove to be an insurmountable 14-2 lead. Chelsea Kocis led the Quakers with three goals.
Despite the deficit, the Nittany Lions fought back and scored six straight to end the game. Senior Jessi Lieb (Villanova, Pa.) started the run, by netting the first of her two goals at the 15:32 mark. Sophomore Theresa Bucci (Hudson, Ohio) assisted on the play. Two and a half minutes later, junior Kerry Shea (Baltimore, Md.) and sophomore Erica Mihm (Annapolis, Md.) teamed up on a score. For Shea, the goal was her eighth of the season. Goals by freshman Laura Lesnick (Jarrettsville, Md.), Bucci, and Lieb finished out the scoring.
The Nittany Lions will journey outside of the state of Pennsylvania for the first time in 2008 this weekend when they head south to Nashville, Tenn. for their ALC opener versus No. 20 Vanderbilt on Sun., March 23. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET at the Commodores' home field, the Vanderbilt Soccer/Lacrosse Complex.