Once again the women's lacrosse team relied on the play of Megan Smith and Diane Whipple, this time to rally from an early deficit and defeat Colgate, 13-6, yesterday afternoon in Hamilton, N.Y.

Smith and Whipple combined for nine goals, with Smith assisting on three others. After five games, Whipple holds the team lead in goals with 19 (five assists) and Smith has 17 assists (11 goals).

"We'd like to see the offense more spread out and we'd like to get someone else (scoring more), but they're the experienced players and we like to get things started with them," Coach Julie Williams said. "It doesn't concern me because they can always get open. And when they don't, someone else rises to the occasion."

Yesterday, however, the two of them were enough. After Colgate's Darci Alpine opened the scoring just 30 seconds into the game, Smith and Whipple took control, combining for five goals in the next 15 minutes.

Yet the Lady Lions still couldn't put Colgate away. With Shari Krasnoo scoring three eight-meter shots (penalty shots), the last with one second left until halftime, Penn State's lead was only 6-5 at the intermission.

Williams said normally it is the defense that keeps the team in the game early as the offense gets warmed up. But yesterday after Alpine's quick goal, Penn State had to look for immediate production from its attack.

"I don't know how (Alpine) got in there," Williams said. "But defensively, in the first half, we were really slow. We weren't patient and were not inside checking."

In the second half, the Lady Lions played well at both ends, outscoring Colgate, 7-1. Smith (five goals in the game) and Whipple scored twice. Karen Hoysted also continued to score from her defensive position (two overall) and Karen Brown struck twice late. Faith Sweeney assisted on one goal to round out the point totals.

"Our attack was fine, we had good transitions and good shots," Williams said. "(And) in the second half, the defense was 100 percent better. They were more patient, more helpful and controlled the ball better.

The win increased the Lady Lions' record to 4-1. They will meet perennial rival Temple tomorrow afternoon in Philadelphia.

LADY LAX FAX: Co-captain Mary Ann Foley saw limited action in the second half. She is expected to play tomorrow. The status of Ann Kolongowski is still uncertain.