Guarding a net that's six feet high and six feet wide, a Penn State women's lacrosse goalie gets bombarded with shot after shot going at speeds upward of 60 mph. While giving up seven goals on 16 shots in other sports would get a normal goalie pulled, in lacrosse the keeper may garner the game ball.

This is the life of Penn State goaltenders Jess Boccio and Stephanie Ellis.

In a sport where 10 goals in a game is commonplace, the Nittany Lion goalkeepers are faced with the challenge of keeping their composure even when opponents are filling the net.

"The thing most people don't realize is we play as well as our defense allows us to play," Boccio said. "If players get wide open in front of us those are the games we're going to allow 10 goals. Honestly, there's nothing you can do. You just have to be in good position, but even great teams can snipe the ball in."

Boccio started her career as a walk-on freshman but worked her way to the starting goaltending role in her senior season. She has been the winning goaltender in both Penn State victories this season.

As a sophomore, Ellis has already seen more than 60 minutes of game time this season. Her .579 save percentage leads the team.

"Stephanie is one of the best athletes on the team," Penn State coach Suzanne Isidor said. "She's a pure athlete, and if she decided she wanted to be a midfielder, she could be an midfielder. To have an athlete of that caliber in the goal is a great asset."

When Ellis provides a rest for Boccio in net, Boccio remains the team leader.

"Her teammates respect her, and she's definitely in charge when she's in net," Isidor said.

While both athletes loved lacrosse, neither intended to be a goalie at first, but different circumstances led them to net.

Boccio didn't begin playing goalkeeper until her senior year of lacrosse. After three years of playing different positions, Boccio snatched her current position when the lead goalie graduated.

Ellis' goaltending career started earlier in life, and her reasons were quite different.

"In sixth grade I broke my ankle and my mom took me to a lacrosse practice," Ellis said. "I kept kicking all the balls with my cast and it started. But when I got to high school, our team needed a goalie and my brother was a lacrosse goalie so everyone just assumed I could do it, too."

Now that both players are carrying years of experience between the pipes, Penn State is hoping they can lead the Lions to a successful season. But even with that experience, the team knows the challenges of being a goalkeeper.

"You're the last line of defense, the leader back there and it's definitely the toughest position in lacrosse," Isidor said. "We are very fortunate to have two goalies that could definitely be starters."