May 1, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Senior defender Lauren Purvis (Maple Glen, Pa.) of the No. 7/8 Penn State women's lacrosse team was named the American Lacrosse Conference Defensive Player of the Year, as the league announced its major award winners and all-conference teams Thursday morning.
The defender, along with sophomore midfielder Madison Cyr (Westminster, Md.), earned All-ALC First honors, while junior attacker Maggie McCormick (Eldersburg, Md.) and sophomore midfielder Jenna Mosketti (Fallston, Md.) were tabbed to the second team. Purvis and Cyr garnered all-conference honors for the first time, while McCormick and Mosketti found their names on All-ALC teams for the third and second times, respectively.
The Nittany Lions' fourth major award winner and first since Dana Cahill secured her second straight goalkeeper of the year honor in 2012, Purvis led the league with 1.81 caused turnovers per game as she became the program's first non-goalkeeper to be named a player of the year.
The defensive stalwart has appeared in all 16 games this season, totaling 29 caused turnovers, 27 ground balls and seven draw controls. The reigning ALC Defensive Player of the Week earned at least three caused turnovers in five games this season, including a career-high five caused turnovers in a 21-8 Nittany Lion victory against Drexel March 26.
A Westminster, Md., native, Cyr has enjoyed a breakout season in 2014. The sophomore has started all 16 games, leading Penn State in points (45) and goals (39), while ranking fourth in the conference in caused turnovers per game (1.19), fifth in goals and seventh in points. The midfielder, who boasts as 13-game point-scoring streak, has netted at least four goals in a game four times.
Against Cornell, Cyr registered a career-high five goals and tied her career high with four caused turnovers. In an 18-11 victory against Loyola March 8, the standout set career highs in points (6) and draw controls (5), while matching her career high in assists (2).
A three-time All-ALC member, McCormick earned second-team recognition for the second time in her career. An All-ALC First Team honoree as a season ago, the Eldersburg, Md., native has appeared in all 16 games and ranks second on the team with 40 points. The attacker ranks fourth in the ALC in assists (24) and has added 16 goals, nine ground balls and two caused turnovers and draw controls.
Mosketti earned All-ALC Second Team honors for the second straight season. The Fallston, Md., native paces the team and ranks third in the conference with 66 draw controls, while ranking second on the team in ground balls (23). The sophomore has added 32 points (28g, 4a) and 14 caused turnovers.
Since 2002, 56 Nittany Lions, including 18 under head coach Missy Doherty, have earned all-conference recognition. Penn State will open the 2014 ALC Championships Thursday when it faces Johns Hopkins in first-round action. Opening draw is set for 3 p.m. ET.