Anyone who was at the Penn women’s lacrosse game Saturday now knows that it’s Caroline Bunting’s world, and that we are all just living in it.
The senior attack had the game of her career, racking up three goals and four assists as the Quakers knocked off Yale, 12-8, on a cold and snowy Saturday afternoon.
It was a huge win for the Red and Blue (2-3, 2-0 Ivy), whose 0-3 start is a thing of the past after two consecutive Ivy League victories have propelled them to the top of the conference standings.
A trio of Penn players — senior midfield Meredith Cain, freshman midfield Iris Williamson and Bunting — were the true difference-makers for the Quakers against the Bulldogs (4-3, 0-2). The three combined for 10 goals, including a second-straight four-goal game from Williamson, to power the offense.
“The big difference that’s changed everything for us has been our attack,” coach Karin Brower Corbett said. “They’re playing with heart and fire they lacked in the first three games.”
Bunting had her way with the Bulldogs’ defense, using a combination of speed and power to get to the net and create scoring chances. But the real strength in her game was her field vision. Bunting deftly dissected the defense, finding teammates for easy goals in front of the net.
“It’s all the cutters,” Bunting said of her four assists. “When they make strong cuts and get wide open, it’s an easy game.”
Bunting, who Corbett believes is instrumental to the success of the team, had only collected two points in her first four games of 2013 after putting up 30 in 16 games last season.
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So what was the difference that made her so effective on Saturday? Her mindset.
“I think I came in way more relaxed than I did earlier in the season,” Bunting said. “I was putting way too much pressure on myself, so when I just concentrated on having fun, it made all the difference.”
Cain also found her groove against Yale, doubling her goal total on the season to six after recording a hat trick.
Williamson’s second-straight four-goal game, which upped her total to 13 on the season, proves that the future is bright for the Quakers. The combination of senior leadership and emerging freshman talent will be pivotal for the Red and Blue to make a run in the NCAAs this year.
In a back-and-forth game that saw Penn take numerous leads but let Yale come back in the game multiple times, the final three minutes were crucial and a major point of emphasis.
After Yale cut the Penn lead to 10-8 with 3:19 left, the Quakers allowed the Bulldogs to touch the ball once in the game’s waning moments, forcing a turnover and scoring two goals to close the door on Yale and seal a much needed victory.
“Sometimes you just need to melt the clock and run it out in a game like that,” Corbett added. “When we calmed down on defense and worked [Yale] on offense, that’s when we were able to finish the game.”
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