That attitude has been pervasive for the No. 9 Lady Lions (3-1), who reeled off three consecutive victories during the semester break after a season-opening loss to No. 1 Maryland. The Lions most recent triumph came yesterday via a 17-12 thrashing of No. 2 James Madison.

The game was never as close as the final score indicated.

Both teams came out firing in a game that was marked by fast, aggressive play, explosive offense and suspect defense. Penn State's opening score off of B.J. Lucey's stick, just 56 seconds into the game, was like the first strike of lightning in a thunderstorm.

The Lions, led by Mechem's three goals in the opening frame, set a team record for first-half goals and largest halftime lead when they left the Holuba Hall turf with a 9-4 advantage after 30 minutes of play.

"We were fired up to play James Madison here," Penn State coach Julie Williams said of her team's first-half flurry of offensive production.

"We weren't going to let anyone trample over us."

Determined to be the tramplers and not the tramplees, Penn State continued its scoring thrust in the second half, opening up a 14-5 lead. Christine Kenney tallied two goals early in the half en route to a season-high four-goal game, all while playing with a wrist injury sustained in a tumble with a James Madison player.

However, riding high with a nine-goal lead, the Lions' defense became a sieve as it let up six goals and allowed the Dukes to close to within four goals at 15-11.

James Madison's effort was too little, too late, though. Penn State got back on track and put the game on ice, taking away a 17-12 victory.

James Madison coach Jen Ulehla felt her team barely made a showing of their true potential in the contest.

"We're a great team, but we only played for 12 minutes in the second half," Ulehla said.

"Penn State showed a tremendous amount of talent and ability. They were able to handle pressure and finish the game."

Williams was pleased with her team's performance, something she couldn't say after a pair of close wins last week on a spring-break road-trip to Nashville. The Lions defeated No. 10 Georgetown, 9-8, and No. 16 Vanderbilt, 9-7, but in a rather uninspired fashion.

In both contests Penn State opened up early leads before floundering in the second half and clinging to their victories. Williams felt her team needed to find its aggressive, fearless style of play.

"We didn't play well in Nashville," Williams said. "They needed to rediscover their fierceness."

Based on their resounding win over James Madison and Mechem's resonating holler, it sounds as if they have.