Quakers Post 9-3 Win Over Laxwomen

The women's lacrosse team took a tough 9-3 thumping at the hand of an experienced University of Pennsylvania team Saturday in Philadelphia, giving the Crimson a 1-1 record for the young season.

Harvard kept pace with the powerful Quakers through most of the first half. Senior Ellen Seidler, playing second home, hotched the women's first goal in the opening minutes of the game. After taking a pass from Lisa Kent on the outside, Seidler drilled a shot through the legs of the Quaker goalie.

Pretty Picture

Near the end of the first half, Sarah Mleczko scored the Crimson's prettiest goal of the game when Seidler fed her the ball from behind goal. Mleczko took the pass and quick-sticked the ball past the unsuspecting Penn goalie.

After opening the second half with a thin 3-2 lead, the Penn offense settled down and left the Harvard team floundering. The Quakers used a four square offense and seemed to score at will. Their organization and strong passing skills allowed them to move past the Crimson defense and score as holes opened up.

The Harvard defense played well against Penn's tough stickwomen but couldn't complete the passes it needed to clear the ball out into the hands of the Crimson's capable attack. The few times that the defense made the right connections, it had trouble returning to defensive positions after scattering to help move the ball.

"We expected Penn to be a much tougher team than B.C., and they were," Seidler said yesterday. "They really knew how to put the pressure on us, everywhere."

Freshman goalie Charlotte Worsley turned in another strong performance, making nine saves for the Crimson. Coach Carole Kleinfelder said she was particularly pleased with Worsley because she feels that Penn's recent victory over West Chester State proves that they are one of the nation's top teams. She added she knows defending against their attack is a difficult job for any goalie and especially tough for a first-year player like Worsley.

"I'm not discouraged because I think with a couple more weeks of practice this team will really begin to play up to its potential," Kleinfelder said.