Penn Secures Fourth Straight Ivy League Title
from press release
PHILADELPHIA -- Penn stepped onto Franklin
Field on Sunday knowing that it had clinched at least a share of
its fourth Ivy League championship in a row. They had secured that
much with a win at Princeton on Wednesday. If there was any doubt
that this group would be content with sharing anything, that was
erased after a frantic opening half which saw the Quakers score 13
times on Brown. After 60 minutes, the scoreboard read 19-5 in favor
of the sixth-ranked Quakers and a fourth consecutive outright Ivy
crown was sealed with an overturned PowerAde bucket of water which
doused head coach Karin Brower Corbett.
For the seniors who have helped turn the program into not only a
perennial Ivy contender but a national one as well, the win
completed not only a fourth Ivy championship but capped a perfect
Ivy career. The eight members of the class of 2010 - Ali DeLuca,
Courtney Lubbe, Barb Seaman, Megan Smith, Emma Spiro, Emily
Szelest, Jill Taylor and Kaileigh Wright - have finished their Ivy
careers with a perfect 28-0 record in Ancient Eight games.
The fourth title in a row for the women's lacrosse team makes them
the fourth group in Penn history to put together four consecutive
outright Ivy championships. The other teams to accomplish the feat
are men's outdoor track and field (seven from 1971-77), men's
basketball (six from 1969-70 to 1974-75) and women's fencing (six
from 1982-83 to 1987-88).
It was the seniors who helped pace the Quakers in the game, as the
seven members of the group that were healthy combined for 18 points
and 10 of Penn's 19 goals.
Ali DeLuca was the big producer, finishing the game with a
career-high nine points. Six of those points were assists, equaling
the program record for assists in a game set by Sherry Marcantonio
in 1981 also against Brown.
DeLuca's classmate, Emma Spiro, finished with four goals and an
assist in her final regular season game at Franklin Field. Fellow
seniors Megan Smith (two goals and an assist) and Courtney Lubbe
(one goal) also found the back of the cage in their final regular
season outings at home.
Emily Szelest added her 29th career win in goal for Penn, making
three saves in just over 31 minutes of work. She was protected by
fellow members of the Class of 2010 Barb Seaman and Kaileigh
Wright.
The Quakers and Bears traded goals early, with Erin Brennan
opening things up 1:02 into the game and Kaela McGilloway answering
two minutes later. From that point on, it was all Quakers.
The Red and Blue scored on their first seven shots of the game and
were 13 of 16 on shots in the first half. Nine different players
had a goal for Penn in the first half.
In the second half, Spiro scored twice in the first 2:08 -
finishing off a run of three-straight goals for her - to help Penn
pull away to a 17-3 lead. The Quakers finished off the game with
Caroline Connor's first collegiate goal on the first collegiate
assist for fellow freshman Lizzy Price.
The Quakers end the regular season with a 12-3 record and have
their sights set on the inaugural Ivy League Women's Lacrosse
Tournament. The Red and Blue will be the top seed in the tournament
which will be held at Franklin Field. Second seed Dartmouth will
play third-seeded Cornell at 4 p.m. Penn will renew its rivalry
with fourth-seeded Princeton at 7 p.m. The finals will be on
Sunday, May 2 at 12:30 p.m.
