Throughout last season, Kay Young was goalkeeper for the junior varsity squad of the women's lacrosse team. While Cheri McMonagle and Sue Sommers split the starting time, Young slowly improved. Then she got hurt midway through the year.

But what Coach Julie Williams saw in the first half of last year stuck in her mind. Young has started every game this season and has given up, on average, only five goals per game. Her play has helped the Lady Lions to a 6-2 record this season.

"It was an ambiguous situation," third man Elena Brazer said. "We didn't know what to expect (with) last year's goalies overshadowing her. (But) I told Kay (yesterday) we have all the confidence in her and she should go for it everyday."

So far she has done exactly that, with 74 saves and more than a 60 percent save percentage. In Penn State's 9-5 victory over William & Mary on April 1, she totaled 13 saves, including a quick stick save late in the game on a shot that would have put the Lady Raiders within two goals.

Also, in a 10-9 thriller with Virginia on March 31, Young registered eight saves. After defeating the Lady Cavaliers, Williams said, "Kay played like an animal, she was so intense."

Yet Young is very quick to shy away from the attention and credit the rest of the defensive unit. She believes her play is inspired by the protection she receives from them, keeping the ball away from the goal. On the subject of her own play, she said, "I can always make more saves. Goalkeeper is a tough position, because you only remember the (goals given up)."

But to her teammates, remembering the saves has been easy because there have been so many. Co-captain Tracy Mass said the team always had confidence in her play. And Williams gives praise to her after every game.

"She was awesome," Williams said. "She really held her position well; when a goalie moves too soon, she's dead."

Young said one of her problems this year has been getting impatient and "jumpy" about wanting to stop shots. The eight-meter penalty shot is an example where a goalkeeper can get a little anxious because it's basically a one-on-one situation, with the attacker getting a free shot at the goal.

In last Tuesday's 10-8 loss at Temple, the Lady Owls scored several times from that eight-meter situation. Since then, Young said she has practiced saving penalty shots and concentrating more on the shot's preparation.

"If there is time to think, I try to hold (in the same place) as long as I can. In such a small area I'll wait until she releases the ball; I'll stare at that yellow ball," Young said.

Her increase in concentration is also seen when an opponent has the ball behind the goal and is setting up a play. As the attacker looks for someone to pass to, Young will bang her stick on the crossbar. She said she does this so she doesn't have to look where the goal is.

She added that knowing her position is important because she can then turn easily and still have the proper angle to stop the shot once the ball comes from behind, into the goalmouth.

"The entire nature of goalkeeper is that they are so concentrated at everything they do," Williams said. "They have an hour of warmup before the game (where it's nonstop action). The other players will make a pass then be able to relax. As goalie, you can't do that.

"I'm not surprised at how well she's done, I'm extremely pleased. I remember last year (before she got hurt) and she just keeps living up to that intensity."