March 12, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A superb defensive effort, highlighted by the brilliant play of junior goalkeeper Dana Cahill (Towson, Md.), propelled the Penn State women's lacrosse team to a resounding 11-3 victory over visiting Delaware (2-4) at Bigler Field on Saturday afternoon.
Cahill recorded 12 saves, just one shy of her career high, against 19 Delaware shots to headline a Penn State (2-4) defense that allowed just one second half goal and held the Blue Hens scoreless for the game's final 22-plus minutes.
Offensively, senior midfielder Jackie Eastman (Springfield, Pa.) led the Lions with four points (2 goals, 2 assists) while senior attacker Mary Dean (Wyncote, Pa.) notched three (2 goals, 1 assists). Seniors Maggie Dunbar (Cockeysville, Md.) and Jen Steadman (Sykesville, Md.) each found net twice, giving PSU four two-goal scorers for the game.
Senior midfielder Aly Adams (Springfield, Pa.) also contributed a standout all-around performance, totaling one goal, one draw control, and a team-high four ground balls and three caused turnovers.
Penn State got off to a fast start, building a 3-0 lead through the game's first 10 minutes. Dunbar and Eastman netted back-to-back unassisted goals before Dean capped off the run with a score off an assist from freshman Mackenzie Cyr (Westminster, Md.), her team-high seventh of the season.
Delaware would go on to outscore the Nittany Lions 2-1 over the next nine minutes, to make the game 4-2 with just over eight minutes remaining in the half. Steadman would provide PSU with a three-goal lead at the break when she found net at the 4:09 mark, getting an assist from Dean on the play.
The second half was all Penn State as the Lions scored six goals, outshot Delaware 17-9, and had a 21-13 advantage in ground balls. Steadman lead off the PSU scoring with her second consecutive goal with 23:58 on the clock. After UD's Corinne Drost scored her 11th of the season at the 22:32, the Blue Hens were not heard from again offensively for the remainder of the game.
Penn State's game-ending 5-0 scoring stretch featured free position goals from Adams and junior Elaine Welch (Bernardsville, N.J.), Laura Lesnick's (Jarrettsville, Md.) team-best 11th of the season, and unassisted scores from Eastman and Dunbar.
The Nittany Lions will continue their four-game home stand on Wed., March 16 when they host Hofstra in a 7 p.m. non-conference contest. The Nittany Lions have never played the Pride in program history but are 80-23-1 all-time versus Colonial Athletic Association teams.
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