The Penn State women's lacrosse team must bounce back this weekend if it wants to keep its chance of making the NCAA tournament alive.
After an 18-9 loss to No. 2 Georgetown on Wednesday, the No. 15 Nittany Lions (6-8, 3-1 ALC) must pull out two wins when they play tonight at 7 at No. 16 Ohio State (8-4, 1-2 ALC) and Sunday at noon at Ohio (8-4, 0-3 ALC).
Even if the Lions defeat the Buckeyes, the Bobcats and Delaware, in their final game May 4, a tournament selection committee might not select Penn State as one of the 16 teams it chooses for the tournament on the day of the Delaware game.
Penn State women's lacrosse coach Suzanne Isidor said she doubts that her team will make the tournament.
"I'd say we're a long shot right now," Isidor said.
Midfielder Jamie Donahue said that although she thought Isidor could better predict the Lions' chances for making the tournament, she thinks her team has a shot.
"We're definitely not out of it," Donahue said.
Isidor said the tournament selection committee uses a formula that includes strength of schedule and winning percentage, among other factors, to determine which teams make the tournament.
The strength of schedule part of the formula should work to the Lions' advantage. Penn State, after squaring off with the Buckeyes, will have played 12 teams ranked in the IWLCA top 20, five in the top 10 and three in the top three.
However, Isidor said she is not sure if the Lions' strong schedule will get them into the tournament, as it did last year when Penn State entered the tournament with an 8-9 record.
"It has helped us in the past, but I think we've lost a few too many games," she said.
The Lions' sub-.500 winning percentage, combined with teams lower in the rankings having significantly better records than them, may shut Penn State out of postseason play.
"There are a few games that if we played as hard as we did in the Maryland and James Madison games, we would have won," Donahue said. Penn State lost 13-11 to then-No. 7 Maryland and beat then-No. 12 James Madison 11-10.
However, Donahue added, "You can't dwell on your losses. You have to get over them."
Getting over their loss to the Hoyas and fighting hard against the Buckeyes and Bobcats, is what the Lions plan to do. The Lions have beaten the Buckeyes five seasons in a row, but Isidor said they are a much better team this year.
"This is probably the best Ohio State team we've faced," Isidor said. "Ohio State is always fired up to play Penn State."
The Buckeyes' largest victories have come against top-10 teams, including wins over Maryland on Mar. 31 and Notre Dame on April 9.
Ohio State sports a balanced attack that is led by attackers Megan Mirick (45 goals) and Tracey Bounds (26 goals, 17 assists). Bounds, a junior, won two Maryland state championships with Lions attacker Katie Jeschke.
"We will have to try to play good team defense," Isidor said. "They (the Buckeye attackers) go to the goal hard."
After facing the Buckeyes, the Lions will meet the Bobcats for the first time. Isidor says her team can't take unranked Ohio lightly because every team Penn State plays is tough.
"Every team on our schedule is competitive and we've got to be ready to play every day," she said.
Strength of schedule aside, Penn State will have to win in convincing fashion this weekend, if it hopes to return to the tournament.
