After Penn started off its season with a shocking three-game losing streak, the women’s lacrosse world is now back to how it should be.
That’s because the Quakers are now tied atop the Ivy League standings after dominating Harvard, 14-5.
The Quakers (1-3, 1-0 Ivy) had been struggling offensively over their first three contests but burst out to a 9-0 lead at the half in Cambridge.
“The first three games our attack wasn’t playing like a unit” coach Karin Brower Corbett said. “It was almost like we were playing in slow motion.”
But after going through a brutal nonconference slate, the Red and Blue got just the match-up they needed as they faced the winless Crimson (0-3, 0-2 Ivy).
Without Erin Brennan, who graduated in 2012 after winning All-Region honors, the Quakers have had their greatest success when goals are distributed throughout the team.
Helped by a roster that Corbett believes possesses “seven or eight true scoring threats,” the Quakers shared the wealth on Saturday, with seven different players contributing to Penn’s 14 goals.
The most notable performance of the day easily belonged to midfielder Iris Williamson. The freshman had a stellar game, recording a career-high four goals in the victory.
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“Iris has been huge,” Corbett said. “She’s one of our biggest threats on attack and a solid defender ma king an impact all over the field.”
Sophomore midfielder Meredith Cain and sophomore goalkeeper Lucy Ferguson were also pivotal to the Red and Blue’s success. Cain scored a goal and added a team-high three assists while Ferguson recorded an impressive 14 saves to smother any hopes of a Harvard comeback.
With the rough start in the rearview mirror and in gear for the Ivy title race, the Quakers are hitting their stride at the right time.
“This was a step forward and we [will] continue to gel as a unit,” Corbett said. “Now we need to take care of business against Yale.”
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