Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Penn
Drexel's Upset Bid of No. 6 Penn Falls Short
2/24/2008 2:37:06 PM | Women's Lacrosse
Philadelphia - The Drexel women's lacrosse team went toe-to-toe with sixth-ranked Penn but the Quakers were able to hang on for a 6-5 victory. Gwenna Johnson and Becca Drylie-Perkins each scored a pair of goals for the Dragons while Melissa Lehman scored twice for the defending Ivy League champions. The loss dropped Drexel to 2-1 on the season while Penn is now 1-0.
Penn got on the board first as Melissa Lehman took a Rachel Manson pass to open the game's scoring. Drexel's response was immediate as Katie Bradley found Drylie-Perkins in front of the cage where the sophomore beat goalie Sarah Waxman to tie the game. Drexel scooped up the ensuing draw control and just 14 seconds later, Sarah Carter found Bradley for a one-timer that gave the Dragons a 2-1 lead. The Drexel defense stiffened for the next eight minutes until finally Ali DeLuca broke through with a game-tying goal. With just 3:09 remaining in the half, Manson was able to give Penn a 3-2 lead on an unassisted goal that appeared to send the Quakers to halftime with the lead. With less than two minutes remaining, Johnson was awarded a free-position shot and promptly found the net to send the teams to the break knotted at 3-3.
The sixth-ranked team in the country seemed poised to put away the Dragons immediate after the start of the second half. Becca Edwards used the post to score on a Manson pass just 90 seconds into the final stanza as Penn regained the lead, 4-3. Again, Drexel looked to Drylie-Perkins for the equalizer and just 51 seconds later, the sophomore scored on a free-position shot. The score remained 4-4 for the next 14 minutes as Drexel goalie Lauren LaBella made several point-blank saves while Waxman was just as stingy on the other end. With less than 14 minutes remaining, Penn used a free-position goal from Lehman to take a 5-4 lead. The Quakers increased their lead on a Bethany Warren goal with just 7;53 remaining. The goal marked the first time either team was ahead by more than one goal in the game. Johnson halved Penn's lead one minute later on her second free-position goal of the game as Drexel looked to tie the game with less than seven minutes remaining. Penn worked the ball around looking to hang on for the victory for much of the remaining time until Bradley forced a turnover with a minute remaining in the game and the Dragons looking to head the other way in an attempt to send the game to overtime. Penn pressured Drexel as the Dragons attempted to clear and forced a key turnover as the Quakers were able to run out the clock and escape Vidas Field with a 6-5 victory.
The game featured a highly anticipated match-up of the area's best goalies. Penn's Waxman was the 2007 National Goalkeeper of the Year while LaBella was a First Team All-Colonial Athletic Association pick a season ago. The match-up lived up to its billing as Waxman stopped five Drexel shots while LaBella made 12 saves. Penn was held to under nine goals by a team other than two-time national champion Northwestern for the first time since April 19, 2006 when Princeton defeated the Quakers, 8-7. LaBella lowered her goals against average to 7.33 on the season while raising her save percentage to .627.
For the game, Penn held a 27-14 edge on shots though Drexel earned nine draw controls to the Quakers' four. The Dragons committed 15 turnovers while Penn recorded nine.
The Dragons return to action Wednesday, Feb. 27 as Drexel travel to Villanova to take on the Wildcats. Game time is 5:30 p.m.
Scoring Summary
D 3-2-5
P 3-3-6
Individual Scoring
Drexel: Gwenna Johnson 2-0, Becca Drylie-Perkins 2-0, Katie Bradley 1-1, Sarah Carter 0-1. Saves: Lauren LaBella 12.
Penn: Rachel Manson 1-2, Melissa Lehman 2-0, Becca Edwards 1-1, Ali DeLuca 1-0, Bethany Warren 1-0.. Saves: Sarah Waxman 5.
Shots: P 27, D 14
Groundballs: D 7, P 6
Draw Controls: D 9, P 4
Free-position shots: D 3-6, P 1-5
