Bunting's First Hat Trick Powers Penn
from press release
PHILADELPHIA - No. 6 Penn has often struggled
with its season opener against Drexel, the combination of Penn
playing its first game while Drexel had already played multiple
times causing problems for the Red and Blue in the early
goings.
Add in the fact that Penn is mixing in many new faces for the 2011
season, and the rough goings on Saturday at Franklin Field in the
first 39 minutes of play are understandable. However, after a
timeout from head coach Karin Brower Corbett, the Quakers turned a
6-5 deficit into a 10-7 lead and never looked back, opening the
2011 campaign with a 12-9 win over the Dragons.
The phrase "see-saw affair" truly is applicable to the first
three-quarters of play. Penn took a 4-1 lead with 12:23 to play in
the first half, seemingly taking control of the game. However,
Drexel ran off three goals before the end of the opening half,
sending the game to the break knotted at 4-4.
In the second half, Penn again struck first, but watched as Drexel
answered with two goals to take a 6-5 lead. Erin Brennan answered
after the timeout to square the game at 6-6, but the Dragons once
more took a lead on a goal less than three minute later.
The pendulum finally swung emphatically in Penn's favor with a
four-goal Quaker spurt giving the Red and Blue a 10-7 lead. Penn
received goals from four different players in that run, including
free position goals from Maddie Poplawski and Brennan. Kelly
McCallion and Caroline Bunting also scored over that 4:06 of game
time, as Penn's underclass players took over.
While Drexel twice scored in the final 11 minutes, each time that
score was answered by a Penn goal to keep the three-goal
cushion.
One question mark surrounding Penn entering the 2011 season is who
would provide offensive firepower with the graduation of the
vaunted Class of 2010. The answer, for this game at least, was the
Class of 2013. Sophomores accounted for half of Penn's goals, led
by Bunting's career-high three-goal game. Kelly McCallion finished
with her first two career goals while Poplawski added her first
free position of the year after leading Penn in that category last
season.
While the sophomores were on fire, so were Penn's captains. The
tri-captain group of Giulia Giordano (three goals), Erin Brennan
(two goals and an assist) and Carolyn Pollard (one assist, one
caused turnover) were vital to Penn's success as well.
In goal, Emily Leitner made her first career start, and the junior
made five saves for her second career win. She was at her best
early, making two free-position saves in the opening moments of the
game.
While Poplawski only found the back of the cage once, her role
in the midfield was more of a defensive one all game. She finished
with three ground balls and a caused turnover to go with a pair of
draw controls. For the game, Penn out-drew Drexel, 14-8, and had a
28-18 shot advantage.
The Dragons were led by Charlotte Wood who had three goals, giving
her 12 on the season in just three games. Alyse Maiden added two
goals and an assist. Whitney Johnson made 10 saves in the loss.
The Quakers, 1-0 this season are back in action March 5 when
they host No. 3 North Carolina at noon.
Notes: Penn defeated Drexel for the fifth season in a row ...
Bunting's three goals were her first career multi-goal game ...
Bunting scored just five goals in 2010 ... Kelly McCallion's two
goals were her first collegiate goals and doubled her point total
from 2010 ... Emily Leitner recorded her first career start and her
second career win; the other came in the Ivy League Tournament
final in 2010 against Dartmouth ... Shannon Mangini scored her
first collegiate goal in her first collegiate game ...Five freshmen
made their first collegiate appearances - Mangini, Lindsey Smith
(first career start), Tory Bensen, Allie Martin and Lydia
Miller.
