The Canadian U-19 team traveled to Australia in December 2006 for a tournament in which Katie Guy and Hayley Sofarnos would meet for the first time.
Later that year, Sofarnos traveled to Canada for the World Championships and stayed at Guy's house.
Now, the freshmen members of Penn State's international recruiting class are neighbors in Happy Valley and -- along with freshman Molly Fernandez -- look to be vital aspects of the women's lacrosse team.
"Katie had committed, and we were talking to Hayley and she e-mailed me, and I think we said we have our first international player committed, and she's from Canada," head coach Suzanne Isidor said. "Hayley e-mailed me and said, 'I think I know your Canadian, Katie Guy.' "
Last season, the furthest a Penn State's women's lacrosse player was from was Florida, while the majority came from Pennsylvania or Maryland.
When recruiting for this season, Isidor expanded her horizons not just out of the East Coast, but the United States entirely.
Guy comes from Whitby, Ontario, Canada, and Sofarnos hails from Williamstown, Victoria, Australia, leaving Fernandez as the only American freshman on the Nittany Lions this year.
The trio looks to bring its unique experiences together to win as Nittany Lions.
"I think each one of them will contribute," Isidor said. "I can't guarantee that any of them will start, but each one will contribute this year."
Because of experience in international competition, the foreign players come slightly more mature than state-side players, Isidor said, and that maturity will help them adjust to the college game. Their unique styles and experiences will add a new twist to Penn State this year.
Guy was the first to be recruited by Penn State. The Ontarian sent in a video, but Isidor didn't think much could be taken from a video, from which Isidor said it is difficult to learn much. But assistant coach Tara Hohenshelt watched it and told Isidor she needed to check it out.
Isidor was impressed and got in touch with one of Guy's coaches who was also a former teammate of Isidor.
"We called her right away and she said great things, so we called one of her other coaches and everybody kept saying great things about [Guy]," Isidor said. "Aside from her playing ability, what a great kid she was, what a hard worker, so we got to know her."
Sofarnos' mother played with Isidor's former coach, and with that connection, Sofarnos and Isidor found each other.
She was looking for a balance between sports and what she wanted to study, Sofarnos said, and Penn State was it.
"We didn't recruit them together, and they didn't know at first," Isidor said. "Hayley realized later that it was Katie. It's a small world."
Sometimes overshadowed by the excitement of the international recruits is the Fernandez.
"She's someone who will make an impact with her playing and just her enthusiasm for lacrosse," Isidor said. "When you play with her, she makes you want to play."
Her team jokes that Fernandez is the only All-American in the freshmen class, because of the fact that she is the only American in the class.
Fernandez loved the team and how nice the coaches and players are, compared to other schools she had looked at, she said.
The three freshmen come in hoping to contribute and are confident they will be ready to help the team this season.
"I've only ever seen college games, and every level is totally different," Sofarnos said. "Then again, when you're competing for a team its always gonna be a high intensity. I guess it will give me some experience, but you can never know until you actually get out on the field."
