There's a reason Kelly Mazzante gets her own weekly press conference.

There's an equally good reason no Lady Lion post player will be getting a half-hour with reporters any time soon.

Last night, Jackie Shook became the third player this year to start at center for Penn State in its 81-75 loss to Illinois at Assembly Hall, the third Lion loss in the last four games.

Nevertheless, Shook made the most of her first start, setting career highs by scoring seven points and pulling down nine rebounds, eight of them offensive, against the Fighting Illini's stellar frontcourt.

"I think in the post, Jackie gave us more than we've been getting," Penn State coach Rene Portland said.

Shook was not the only player to make an unexpected impact.

Forward, Katie Schumacher, seeing her first action of the season, scored eight points and grabbed nine boards, all in the second half, as she gave the team a much needed spark. Schumacher had personal ties to Illinois as her brother, Jerry, is a linebacker for the Illini football team.

For as well as both women played, Portland said they were hurt offensively by their limited experience on the floor, despite running through the plays in practice.

Shook followed Courtney Upshaw and Ashli Schwab at center and, at least for a night, gave Penn State a sense of stability in the middle. She made the Lions' first two baskets to jump-start a Penn State run that tied the game at nine with 14:24 remaining in the first half.

The sophomore also made her presence felt late, as the Lions attempted to overcome a 14 point halftime deficit with a pair of lay-ups in the final 10 minutes to complement a pair of steals.

Schumacher, better known as a standout for Penn State's volleyball team, entered the game five minutes into the second half, and displayed her aggressiveness by getting tied up with Illini forward Cindy Dallas, drawing a double foul, in a prelude of a battle that would rage all night.

"Katie gave us an energy burst," Portland said.

That same aggressiveness proved vital for the Lions, as Schumacher made a series of key baskets coming down the stretch while Penn States' perimeter shooting faltered. Most important was Schumacher's put back of a Kelly Mazzante miss to keep the Lions within striking distance with less than a minute remaining.

Following the game, Portland stressed that while Schumacher and Shook played well, she would have to reassess her entire roster before Thursday's game against Indiana at the Bryce Jordan Center.