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Feb. 18, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 8/7 Penn State women's lacrosse team will open the 2014 season Wednesday, Feb. 19 when it travels to Lewisburg, Pa., for a midweek matchup against Bucknell. Opening draw at Graham Field is set for 4 p.m.
GAME AT A GLANCE
Penn State will open the 2014 season against Bucknell for the third straight year. The Bison will enter the contest with a 0-1 record after falling to No. 13/14 Stony Brook, 18-1, Saturday, Feb. 15.
ALL TIME VS. BUCKNELL
The Nittany Lions are 17-0 all-time against Bucknell in a series that dates back to 1978. The teams will face each other for the sixth straight season, with Penn State out-scoring the Bison by a 92-14 margin during their last five matchups.
LAST TIME VS. THE BISON
Ten Nittany Lions recorded at least one point in their 18-2 season-opening win against Bucknell in 2013. Mackenzie Cyr tied her career-high with four goals, while contributing a game-high seven points. Then-freshman goalkeeper Emi Smith pitched a first-half shutout before Ayla Halus played the remainder of the game.
Penn State, which opened the game on a 13-0 run, led in shots (38-12), ground balls (18-10), draw controls (16-6) and caused turnovers (15-5).
NITTANY LIONS TO ENTER 2014 AS TOP-10 TEAM
Penn State, which went 14-7 in 2013 and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for the second straight season, entered the 2014 campaign as the seventh-ranked team in both the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association and Brine/Inside Lacrosse preseason polls.
HEAD COACH DOHERTY ENTERS YEAR FOUR
Head coach Missy Doherty will enter her fourth season (36-22 at Penn State) in Happy Valley in 2014. During her three seasons, Doherty has led Penn State to two NCAA tournaments (2012, 2013) and a share of one ALC regular-season championship (2013).
During her time at Penn State, Doherty has coached six IWLCA All-Americans, 14 All-ALC members and one CoSIDA Academic All-American.
RETURNING FIRE POWER
Penn State will return its top four scorers, including a pair of IWLCA Second Team All-Americans (Maggie McCormick, Kelly Lechner), and nearly 90 percent of the team's scoring from 2013.
McCORMICK LEADING THE WAY
Attacker Maggie McCormick, who enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign, recorded 87 points in 2013, the most by a Nittany Lion since Tami Worley collected 94 points during Penn State's 1989 national championship season.
The Eldersburg, Md., native was nominated for the Tewaaraton Award, presented to the nation's top male and female collegiate lacrosse player, in 2013 and will serve as one of the team captains in 2014.
CYR CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Senior Mackenzie Cyr will enter the 2014 season with an eye on the Penn State record books. The Westminster, Md., native has collected 81 assists in her stellar career, good for fifth on the Nittany Lions' all-time list. In 2013, Cyr notched a career-high 35 assists and ranked second on the team in the category.
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN
Seniors Lizzy Carney and Mackenzie Cyr and juniors Kelly Lechner and Maggie McCormick will serve as the Nittany Lion captains in 2014.
NEWCOMERS
Penn State will welcome eight freshmen, three transfers - Natalia Angelo (Loyola), Dani Lazo (Louisville), Jess Loizeaux (Virginia) - and former Penn State field hockey player Whitney Reddig to the squad.
SISTER ACT
The 2014 Nittany Lions boast four sets of sisters - Mackenzie and Madison Cyr, Ali and Evan Foulsham, Dani and Steph Lazo, Kelly and Shannon Lechner - on the team.
LOOKING AHEAD
Penn State will host No. 3/2 Maryland in its home opener Saturday, Feb. 22 at 3 p.m.