VanArsdale, M. Laxfall to Virginia

The Quakers lose to fourth-ranked Navy, but defeat Bucknell. While the rest of the school was enjoying its vacation working on a tan, the Penn men's lacrosse team worked up a sweat, battling some of the toughest competition in the country. With games against last year's NCAA Tournament runner-up Virginia (3-2), fourth-ranked Navy (4-1), and last year's Patriot League champion Bucknell (1-1), the 2-2 Quakers' break was far from lax. The week started out with a home contest on Saturday, March 8, against the Midshipmen, who came into Franklin Field with a 3-0 record. After concentrating a week on the game, the Quakers, 1-0 at the time, felt they were prepared for their first real challenge of the season. For Navy, coming in with three-one goal victories over UMBC, Washington College and UNC, including two of them being decided in the final minute, the Penn match followed form. The outcome of the game was not decided until three seconds remained in the game, when the Midshipmen sophomore Jamie O'Leary sent his third goal of the game into the back of the net. Penn started the game with a 3-1 lead but ended the half tied with Navy at four. Similarly, Navy took command in the second half and, in two minutes, surmounted a 7-4 lead. The determined Quakers would not be set back as junior John Ward added his third goal of the game with less than five minutes left to give the Quakers an 8-7 advantage. "We put ourselves in a position to win a game against an awfully good team," Van Arsdale said. "They made some good plays at the end of the game, and we did not close it out. It proved to ourselves that we can play with the good teams out there." Then the final minute came, and along with it, the Midshipmen. Following Brad Gilroy's goal for Navy was O'Leary's which led to the visitors' celebration. In 15 days this season, Navy's four wins equal their total of all of last year. "It was one of those games you have to put behind you real fast," Ward said. "It was pretty disappointing. We had them down and we really should have sealed it up." On Wednesday came Van Arsdale's homecoming to Virginia, a team for which he was an assistant coach for six years. The Cavaliers, an addition to this year's schedule, had never beaten the Quakers, losing their two previous meetings. Of course, the most recent one dates to 1931. Still, Virginia was highly favored in the matchup, coming into it ranked fifth nationally and with a 1-2 record -- having lost by one goal on the road to both top-ranked Princeton and third-ranked Syracuse. Virginia scored early and often, opening a 5-2 lead in the first period and an 8-2 advantage at the half. The Quakers struggled trying to compensate for the superior speed and dominant physical ability of Virginia. The Quakers lost 17-6. Not only was it the first meeting between the two teams in a while, it was the first time Van Arsdale felt what it was like going against the team he had helped coach. Although the team did lose, the first-year coach felt it was a positive experience. "Being familiar with Virginia and knowing what they were going to do and their players' strengths, the challenge was being able to stop it," Van Arsdale said. "It is the kind of game that can serve us down the road. It was awkward knowing the kids of the other team so well and having such a good relationship with the other coaching staff." Virginia coach Dom Starsia and the Cavaliers team still feel the void left by Van Arsdale's departure. Impressed by the play of the Quakers and sophomore goalies Matt Shroeder and Shane Lavery, Starsia was still confident in his team's ability, even with the insider knowledge of Van Arsdale. "It was anxious in the beginning," Starsia said. "Marc and I are pretty close. He was only an assistant in title. We owe much of our success to Marc." Even after the two roller coaster losses, the Quakers still had their best stuff ready for the Bisons Sunday in Baltimore. Coming in with the country's longest winning streak, 13 games dating back a year and a half, Bucknell had a lot riding on the game. Unfortunately for Bucknell, Penn was hardly impressed with the streak, starting the game by scoring six straight goals. By the time the Bison had realized they were playing in Baltimore it was too late. Taking out their week's frustration, the Penn defense allowed only three goals, while the offense scored 13, led by Ward's four goals and senior captain Jon Cusson's five assists. "We came out fired up," Ward said. "We jumped all over them from the opening gun, and we just never gave them a chance to get in the game." Being in the one of the toughest conferences in the country can be hard on a team. In preparation for their Ivy League competition, the Quakers feel having a tough non-conference schedule will give them the mental and physical preparation they need.

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