Darah Ross and Emily Jansel combined for nine of Penn's 11 goals. Senior co-captains Emily Hansel and Darah Ross continued their offensive tear as the Penn women's lacrosse team held on to defeat Harvard 11-10 at Franklin Field Saturday. Hansel and Ross, who each have over 20 goals this season, scored nine of the Quakers' 11 strikes. Early in the first half, Penn (4-4, 2-2 Ivy League) took a 5-0 lead on three quick strikes from Ross and two by Hansel. The Red and Blue never trailed after gaining that initial edge. "After we started strong, we began to lose the lead near the end," Penn's Erin Moran said. "[Penn Goalie] Christian [Stover] played really well after Harvard closed the gap to 11-9." Although there were some bad exchanges in the middle for both teams, the Quakers passed accurately for the most part and were able to dominate offensively in the early going. The forwards and midfielders executed well on set plays in the first half to allow the Quakers to gain the initial advantage. "We ran our sets pretty well. I was happy to see us passing more confidently and to see our midfielders carry the ball upfield and break down the defense," Hansel said. "Once we got that initial penetration, it was easier to spot openings and easier to score. We were offensively on our game against Harvard in the first half, but later on it was defense that helped us seal the win." Late in the second half, Harvard adjusted to Penn's defensive scheme. After scoring their 10th goal with 2:35 left, the Crimson mounted a huge offensive charge. But only stellar goalkeeping by Stover denied them the equalizer. "So far this season, we have never had a lead going that late into the game. We haven't been able to work too much on our stalling and I think that's why they managed to close the lead towards the end. But we were strong enough on defense to hold them off," Hansel said. Penn coach Anne Sage allowed her team a day of rest but still expects them to be mentally ready to face a Lafayette team that has won the Patriot League title three years straight. "We are glad to have Sunday off, but I think we will all be ready to play," Hansel said. "It's definitely a trade-off to cancel practice to allow us some rest but I agree with the decision. We fought hard in the Harvard game and it took a lot out of us." Last year, the Leopards reached the ECAC semifinals despite losing co-captain Zuka Baker to a torn ACL. Baker and co-captain Mandy Martin return this year as seniors and lead the Leopards in scoring with 34 goals combined. If Ross and Hansel can sustain their current offensive form, Lafayette's league-leading defense is going to have its hands full.
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