April 2, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 16 Penn State women's lacrosse team saw its five-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday afternoon, as it fell to No. 6 Florida (11-1, 2-0), 13-7, in an ALC match-up at Bigler Field. The loss was the Nittany Lions' first since March 8 and just its second setback of the season at home.
Penn State (6-5, 1-1) was led by senior midfielder Laura Lesnick (Jarrettsville, Md.), who netted two goals, giving her a team-high 20 for the year, and recorded a game-high five draw controls. Senior attacker Jen Steadman (Sykesville, Md.) and junior midfielder Aly Adams (Springfield, Pa.) also contributed two goals each. Freshman attacker Mackenzie Cy (Westminster, Md.) notched two assists, upping her team season high total to 15.
Junior goalkeeper Dana Cahill (Towson, Md.) registered eight saves, including six in the second half, against a hail of 30 Gator shots and tallied a game-high five ground balls.
Florida literally got off to a fast start, as sophomore Kitty Cullen won the opening draw, raced downfield, and scored her NCAA-leading 50th goal of the season, all in the span of eight seconds. Penn State evened the game at 1-1 just over two minutes later when Adams converted on a free position attempt.
The Gators put together a 3-0 run over the next three minutes, with Cullen netting two more, to move Florida into a 4-1 lead.
The Nittany Lions were able to cut into the UF advantage just under the 21-minute mark when senior attacker Mary Dean (Wyncote, Pa.), who was positioned behind the net, fed a beautifully placed pass to a cutting a Jen Steadman. Despite having a Florida defender draped all over her, Steadman got off a shoulder-high shot from close up that found net.
After Cullen scored her fourth goal of the game, Penn State responded with a 3-0 run to knot the game with 7:27 remaining in the half. Adams, Steadman, and Lesnick each scored to earn the Lions their first tie of the contest. However, the 5-5 draw would prove to be the last time Penn State would threaten Florida.
The Gators ended the half with two unanswered goals and then quickly sprinted out to score three straight to start the second half, building a 10-5 lead.
Sophomore Katie Guy (Whitby, Ont.) was able to stem the Florida tide when she let loose a left-handed rocket that sped past UF goalkeeper Mikey Meagher and into net for her fourth goal of the year.
Caroline Chesterman re-upped Florida's lead to five with a goal at the 11:48 mark only to be answered with Laura Lesnick's second of the game with 9:20 remaining. With the game at 11-7, four goals would be as close as Penn State could get.
Florida would go on the score two more and then hold the ball for the final of minutes to put the game away and secure its 11th-straight win.
Penn State will continue ALC play next weekend when it travels to Evanston, Ill. to take on No. 2 Northwestern (10-0, 1-0) in an 8 p.m. contest at the Wildcats' Lakeside Field. The Nittany Lions have had their season ended by Northwestern at the ALC Championship in each of the last four years and have not defeated the `Cats since 2003, a 12-7 road victory for PSU.
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