No team wants to open its season with two losses, but sometimes that's just the way the cards fall.

The No. 16 Penn State women's lacrosse team lost its first two home games against Cornell and No. 7 James Madison, 11-9 and 14-11 respectively.

"It's always hard the first game of the season," Allison DeCecco said. "We felt that we were ready. We were ready. It just didn't come together for us as we hoped it would."

Penn State faced Cornell March 3 at Holuba Hall. Two quick goals from Molly Ford and Kate Affonsa opened up the game, but the Lions still trailed Cornell 6-7 at the half.

A goal by Penn State's Sara Young tied the game at 7-7. With a goal from B.J. Lucey the Lions went ahead, but after three Cornell goals late in the second half Penn State fell behind for good.

"I don't think it's that we let down," DeCecco said. "I think we needed to take care of each other and take care of the ball and we didn't do that that well at the end."

The tables were turned on Penn State against JMU as the Dukes scored three quick goals against the Lions to start the game. Despite responding immediately to the three goals, Penn State still trailed 8-6 at the half.

"We just needed to keep up the intensity that we had had the whole game," DeCecco said. "We just needed to put the ball in the goal, and I think we came out pretty fired up."

A key goal by Penn State's Colleen O'Hara closed the gap between the Lions and the Dukes to 12-11 with JMU leading, and the Dukes scored two more goals to seal Penn State's fate.

"We played really well," DeCecco said. "It was hard to come back after the first three minutes. We have to be proud of how everyone played because everyone hustled really hard."

O'Hara had two goals for the day and two assists, and DeCecco and Katie Heuisler each scored two goals for the Lions. Penn State goalkeeper Megan Ames recorded 20 saves.

"We were commenting that there was a huge improvement between the two games," Penn State's Stacey Sagesse said. "We need to take care of each other and the ball. Once we click, and we are really close to clicking, that is going to make a difference."

Despite the two losses the Penn State team remains confident.

"We are definitely an exciting team," Sagesse said. "We are always there for each other. We are in really good shape this year and we are physically strong."

Penn State will try and use that asset to gain its first win of the season in its next challenge against Massachusetts tomorrow at 3 p.m.

"Our goal for the next game is pretty much to get that first win under our belt," Sagesse said. "We are due for it."