March 9, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 19 Penn State women's lacrosse team (2-2) used a high-powered offense, led by preseason All-American Jessi Lieb's (Villanova, Pa.) six points, to down visiting William & Mary (2-4), 18-12, on Sunday afternoon in a non-conference match-up in Holuba Hall. The Nittany Lions' goal output of 18 marks the second time this season that PSU has reached that level in a home win.
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.
Penn State dominated the first half from whistle to whistle, outplaying William & Mary on both ends of the field. Kontson started the PSU offensive onslaught, scoring her third goal of the year at the 26:38 mark. After the Tribe's leading scorer, Jaime Sellers, evened the game at 1-1, Penn State scored the next three off of goals by Mariel Bryan (Folsom, Pa.), LeNoir, and Kontson. William & Mary cut the Lions lead to 4-2 with a goal with 18:17 remaining, but a four-goal run to end the half would provide Penn State with an 8-2 halftime advantage.
In the first half, Penn State outshot William & Mary, 21-5, and held a 12-4 and 8-3 advantage in ground balls and draw controls, respectively.
The second half unfolded as an all out offensive showdown, as both teams netted 10 goals. William & Mary made an early push, outscoring Penn State 4-2 through the first eight-plus minutes. But a four-goal rally by the Lions, which included scores by Lieb, Theresa Bucci (Hudson, Ohio), Steadman, and Kerry Shea (Baltimore, Md.), increased the Penn State lead to 14-6. After the Tribe added two more goals, Mary LeNoir stopped the surge at the 7:38 mark with her third and final goal of the game. Goals by Mariel Bryan and Jessi Lieb gained Penn State a 17-8 advantage.
William & Mary netted four goals to Penn State's one in the game's final three minutes but the Lions lead was never in jeopardy.
Senior goalkeeper Jess Boccio (Northport, N.Y.) got the win, recording one save while allowing six goals in just over 38 minutes of play. Sophomore Stephanie Ellis (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) finished the game in net, collecting five saves against six goals allowed.
The Nittany Lions remain at home next weekend, hosting No. 7 Princeton on Sat., March 15 in a 3 p.m. match-up. Location of the non-conference clash is yet to be determined. Last season, Penn State upped its all-time record versus Princeton to 12-17 when it upset the No. 8-ranked Tigers, 8-7, in Princeton, N.J. The Lions have taken two of their last three from Princeton in a series that dates back to 1982.