W. Lax trio bids farewell tonight

When the final horn sounds tonight at Franklin Field, it will mark the time of the year when Penn senior players have to hang up their cleats, gloves and lacrosse sticks for good. The women's lacrosse season may have left something to be desired, but for senior attackers Katie Burg, Melissa Sage and Lori Frutkin, it has been a more-than-memorable four years. From helping out the younger players to striving for their own achievements, these three players have certainly left their mark on the offensive end of the field. "They're all willing to help you," midfielder Sue Pierce said. "If they're not helping you better yourself, they're helping to better the team." Tonight at 7:30 p.m., the Quakers (4-7) face Rutgers with hopes of ending their season with a three-game winning streak. The Lady Knights feature two midfielders, Brandi Bailey and Jennifer Durant, who each have surpassed the 20-point mark. In addition, four other players are in double-digits. For the Red and Blue, only Frutkin is over 20 points, but they have not been in nearly as many high-scoring games as Rutgers (6-8). The task of producing as many points as they did last year is seemingly out of reach for the three seniors, yet all three have finished their careers in fine fashion. Frutkin, Penn's leading scorer for the past three years, is again leading the team with 20 goals and eight assists. Her scoring abilities have been consistent throughout her entire Penn career. Five points tonight will place her in fourth place on the all-time Penn scoring list. In addition, Frutkin was honored with second-team all-Ivy recognition last year and received honorable mention in 1993. "Lori is a very strong player," Pierce said. "She supplies a lot of leadership in the lower field." Melissa Sage has also been a force in the lower field, racking up 39 points the past two seasons. Sage also was selected as an all-Ivy honorable mention last year. For Sage, there has also been the task of working with her mother, coach Anne Sage. With good training, Sage has become a versatile player and has developed an incredibly strong shot. Burg has been starting for all four years at Penn and remains very consistent. Although her statistics read only 26 career goals, Burg's consistent versatility, talent and attitude remain one of Coach Sage's key assets. "Katie does the job as best she can. Coach Sage has a lot of confidence in her," Pierce said. Although this may not have been Penn's most spectacular season in history, the three senior attackers have no reason to hang up their pride along with the rest of their gear.