As many a betting man has discovered, Greyhound racing can prove to be a formidable task. The Penn women's lacrosse team found that out first hand last night, losing a 10-9 squeaker in double overtime to the highly-ranked Greyhounds of Loyola. Although disappointed by the loss, Penn coach Anne Sage was clearly pleased by her team's performance, citing team defense and concentration as key factors in the Quakers' improved play. "I am delighted by the team's intensity," Sage said. "We showed tremendous heart and enthusiasm." After 60 minutes of regulation, one full overtime and half of a second, the teams remained neck and neck and the game was still knotted at 9. As the game headed into the homestretch, Loyola streaked down the field for its final drive. The Quakers' defense swarmed in anticipation, but the ball slipped elusively past the stick of junior goaltender Alexis Seth and bounced into the net. Seth slowly began to discard her gear. First the stick, then the helmet and the pads. Her look of exhaustion only began to tell the tale of the close defeat. "I was amazed by our play," Seth said. "We all came together today and I'm real proud of our team." The words of Seth were echoed by several other members of the Penn squad, many of whom were participants in last year's 16-2 pasting at the hands of the Greyhounds. "We played incredibly," senior attacker Melissa Sage said. "It was a total team effort, and we kept our composure throughout the game." "We played great team defense, especially in stopping the fast break," senior defender Mandy Higgins said. "We have greatly improved and are showing more patience both on our attack and our defense." The team seemed disheartened to lose but thrilled to play such a close game with a team as highly ranked as the Greyhounds. "It was frustrating to come that close and still lose," senior defender Christine Walker said. "Alexis played a superb game in goal, and it's the best we've played versus Loyola in my four years here." In addition to the fine goaltending of Seth, who finished with 14 saves, two standouts set the pace for the Quakers' offense. Penn's assault was led by the scoring of attackers Amy Shapiro and Amy Tarr. Shapiro, a junior, notched four goals while Tarr had a hat trick. "What we accomplished today is important," Shapiro said. "We got going strong early on and kept it going throughout the game." The game versus the No. 6 Greyhounds proved to be both a fine performance and a confidence booster for a Quakers team that had suffered a demoralizing 19-4 setback Saturday at Harvard. "This game was a great improvement from the loss to Harvard," Melissa Sage said. "We are learning, growing and playing well together." Anne Sage agreed the game was vital for the Red and Blue, who needed to return strong after the Harvard debacle. "It was a crucial comeback, a big step toward improved progress and success," she said. "I felt we needed a turnaround, and this game was a tremendous confidence booster." While the game doesn't register in the win column for Penn, each member of the squad clearly comprehended the importance of the fine effort exhibited versus Loyola, none more so than Melissa Sage. "We played hard every second and never let down," Sage said. "We are a scrappy team that works hard and while I'm unhappy about the loss, I am extremely proud of our team."
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