Prior to the field hockey team's matchup with Old Dominion last Sunday, Christine McGinley could see in her mind what she had to do against the defending national champions.

But too often, her nervousness clouded the image just a bit.

"The whole weekend, all of us were pretty nervous. I don't know what I was thinking (before the game)," McGinley said. "I was just trying to visualize what I wanted to do in the game -- going over my roles."

The picture became clearer for McGinley when the whistle blew. Almost immediately, the sophomore midfielder went to work on fulfilling one of her duties . . . scoring goals.

McGinley, playing in her first game as a starter, provided all the offense for the Lady Lions in their 5-2 setback to the Lady Monarchs. Her first goal came less than 10 minutes into the first half, giving Penn State its only lead of the game.

"When I scored that goal, it was the best feeling. I could have jumped over the cage, I was so excited," McGinley said. "It was a great feeling just scoring. (But) it was more of a shock."

McGinley had four more surprises in store.

The Medford, N.J., native tacked on another goal in the second half against Old Dominion, but it wasn't until Monday that she really began to sizzle.

McGinley scored the first three goals -- all in the first half -- of the Lady Lions' 7-0 victory over Northern Illinois. In just three halves of hockey, she exceeded her total number of goals (four) from last season.

Needless to say, the two-day performance turned a few heads.

"She was on fire this weekend," senior co-captain Eleanor Stone said. "She moves out of the circle and just gets to the ball -- it was great."

However, McGinley doesn't consider her performance to be all that impressive.

"(Against) Northern Illinois, the passes that were given to me were perfect. I mean, if I missed them, I probably would have been taken out of the game," she said.

"The opportunites were just there, and anyone else that was in my position I'm sure could have scored the same goals."

While McGinley has been busiest finishing the Lady Lions' goals recently, the converted forward is equally adept at setting up scores.

"She can't downplay (her scoring) too much because at the same time, she's a great passer," Stone said.

A primary factor in the decision to move McGinley to the midfield postion, Coach Charlene Morett said, was, in fact, her ability to pass the ball.

But since her high school days, it has been McGinley's ability to shoot, rather than pass the ball, that attracts attention.

As a senior at Shawnee (N.J.) High School, McGinley fired 40 goals in leading her squad to the state title. In the spring, McGinley switched sticks and scored over 100 goals for the lacrosse team.

"Looking at her, she doesn't seem to be a tower of strength," Morett said. "But she is very strong, and she is very quick in getting her shot off and making the pass."

Although McGinley said she had planned to score goals for both the field hockey and lacrosse teams at Penn State, the need to improve her defense and field vison led her to play hockey exclusively.

"I had to make a decision, and I knew I was going to the (United States Field Hockey Association) "A" camp for hockey . . . I had so much to improve on in hockey, and I'm here for hockey."

Yet, McGinley hasn't completely severed her ties with a lacrosse stick.

Over the summer -- in addition to playing field hockey at the U.S. Olympic Festival and "keeping in shape with Char's daily workout" --McGinley taught at lacrosse camps. She also wears a gold lacrosse pendant on a necklace -- a gift from her roommate, a goalie for the women's lacrosse team.

"If someone gave me a hockey stick, I'd where a hockey stick," McGinley said. "(But) everyone on the team asks, 'Why do you have a lacrosse stick?' It's the only gold I have."

Well, maybe except for the gold in her game.