Struggling lady laxers get win over Blue Hens

It took longer than anticipated, but the Penn State women's lacrosse team started to show signs of life this weekend.

The No. 6 Lady Lions (3-4) are hoping their 7-5 win over Delaware (1-4) marks the end of their sluggish start and the beginning of better times.

In its first six games, Penn State faced five ranked opponents and lost to four of them, leaving the Lady Lions with a bad record and much concern. They were in a slump and needed to find a way out of it.

Penn State coach Julie Williams was forced to resort to unorthodox means.

In an attempt to increase her team's motivation and focus, Williams put more power in the hands of the players. Before their game against Delaware, the Lady Lions voted on the starting lineup.

It would seem the plan worked. Penn State started the game off slowly, dropping behind, 4-2. But in the waning moments of the first half, Lady Lion Emily Mechem took a pass from Jennifer Johnson and scored a goal with just four seconds left on the clock.

"That goal at the end of the half was so crucial," Williams said. "That's what lacrosse is supposed to look like."

The goal proved to be the turning point in the match. The Lady Lions shut down the Blue Hens in the second half, allowing only one more goal en route to the win.

"We just gave it to them," Delaware coach Denise Wescott said. "We just lost possession too much and couldn't get the ball in the cage."

The Blue Hens sluggishness in the second half can partially be attributed to their match against No. 1 Maryland on Thursday. Delaware fought hard for the upset, but eventually lost, 9-8.

"We are just real tired right now," Wescott said. "We had to kill ourselves to stay with Maryland, and that hurt us today."

The win for Penn State did more than just improve its record -- it improved the team's outlook. Much of the credit belongs to the vote, which put more emphasis on attitude than athletic ability.

It meant less playing time for some players but also allowed relative unknowns, like sophomore Megan Martin, to see some playing time.

"I'm just so proud of the team for trusting each other," Williams said. "To have someone new come in and still play as well as they did says a lot."

The effect of the vote meant more than just playing time. It meant the players had to justify their teammates' support.

"I felt like I had a lot to prove today," Penn State starter Jennifer Johnson said. "I knew I had go out and show I deserved to be on the field."

And that's exactly what Johnson did. She had her best game of the season against the Blue Hens, recording three goals and an assist.

"She just played hard the entire game," Williams said. "This game, finally, she just played for the fun of it."

The Lady Lions still have not played up to their full potential, but they are closer after this weekend, and the vote was a major catalyst in the improvement.

"The kids that were out there knew they were the ones that had to get the job done," Williams said. "It was a great victory for them, regardless of the score."