April 18, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - On the strength of 12 first half goals, the Penn State women's lacrosse team (4-9, 0-2 ALC) steamrolled first-year program Cincinnati (2-12), 19-4, in non-conference action on Friday afternoon. The game was the Nittany Lions first at Jeffrey Field, their outdoor grass facility, this season and, with the win, ups their overall 2008 home record to 4-3.
The Penn State attack dominated the game, as 13 different Nittany Lions found net, led by three from senior co-captain Jessi Lieb (Villanova, Pa.). Junior Megan McGuire (Eldersburg, Md.) came off the bench to tally four points on one goal and three assists while starters Marisa Lozano (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Erica Mihm (Annapolis, Md.) totaled three points (2 goals, 1 assist each).
While the scoreboard was the ultimate depiction of the level of Penn State's dominance, the stat sheet lent further support. The Nittany Lions outshot the Bearcats, 44-8, had a 19-6 advantage in draw controls, and doubled up UC in ground balls, 24-12.
Penn State controlled play and possession from the game's outset with its potent attack setting the tone. Junior Kerry Shea (Baltimore, Md.) opened the offensive flood gates, giving the Lions a 1-0 lead at the 26:19 mark. Goals by Lieb and sophomore Mary LeNoir (Timonium, Md.) within the next two minutes pushed their advantage to 3-0.
The offensive fireworks had just begun, though. Over the next 14 minutes, Penn State strung together five unanswered goals to build an 8-0 lead. Cincinnati finally got on the board with two goals in the span of a minute and a half but that's the closest it would get. Four more goals from Penn State, highlighted by the first scores of the season by junior Lauren Burke (Severna Park, Md.) and Megan McGuire, bulged its lead to 12-2 at the break.
The game remained the same in the second half. Six straight goals, including the first two career scores from freshman Maggie Dunbar (Cockeysville, Md.), provided Penn State with a gaudy 18-2 lead. After freshman Jackie Eastman (Springfield, Pa.) netted her second goal of the season at the 12:36 mark, the Nittany Lions held the ball, to be broken up only by a score from senior Kim Kontson (Davidsonville, Md.) with just over five minutes remaining.
The defense did its part in the win, too, notching 10 caused turnovers, led by two from sophomore Margo Josephs (Reisterstown, Md.) and senior Lindsay Hagemann (Watertown, N.Y.). Senior goalkeeper Jess Boccio (Watertown, N.Y.) started the game and got the win, playing the entire first half. Sophomore Stephanie Ellis (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) relieved Boccio at halftime, recording Penn State's only two saves for the game.
On Sunday, the Nittany Lions will visit Columbus, Ohio to play ALC opponent Ohio State in a 1 p.m. game at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. A year ago, Penn State went 1-1 versus OSU, falling to the Buckeyes, 9-8, in the regular season but later avenged the loss by defeating OSU, 9-7, in the first ever ALC Tournament game.