M. Lax to Conn. for Cornell

Attackmen are supposed to beat goalies, not become them. But Penn men's lacrosse sophomore Ryan Kelly did just that, making the transition in seventh grade after playing attack since being introduced to the game. "My father played lacrosse at Hofstra and so when my brother and I were growing up, he introduced us to it really young," Kelly said. "We had sticks in our hands from when we were five or six. "I switched from attack because I was playing in an indoor lacrosse league in seventh grade and our team didn't have a goalkeeper. I decided to try it and have stuck with it since." But even in high school, according to sophomore defenseman Steve Brown, Kelly was prone to slipping back into his pre-goalkeeper ways. "In high school, his team was really bad, and so when they went a man-up, he would run from the goal to the sideline, pick up a short stick, and play midfield," Brown said. Since coming to Penn, however, Kelly has had to fully surrender his utility-player status. As a freshman, he platooned with then-sophomore John Carroll. This season, however, Kelly has had the net all to himself, starting all five of the Quakers' games thus far. "I find it easier knowing all week that I'm going to play," Kelly said. "But at the same time I know that there are three guys there that also want to play and they really help to push me to be better." And perhaps due in part to that assurance, the Quakers have a better goalkeeper manning the net. In eight games last season, Kelly earned a 9.81 goals-allowed-average. This season he has decreased that figure by nearly an entire goal with an 8.79 GAA. The Ivy League average is 11.00. "He's come and made the most of his time here," Penn coach Marc van Arsdale said. "As a sophomore, he obviously has more experience, but regardless, he's definitely more confident out on the field. That assertiveness allowed him to run the defense by being a better communicator and leader out there. And of course his skills have and continue to improve." Besides the obvious advantage of having a solid goalkeeper, the Quakers are able to play more confidently, both on offense and defense, knowing they can rely on their teammate in goal. "By having a strong goalie like Ryan, it allows us to pressure the opposition more and take more risks," Brown said. "It takes a burden off of our shoulder because if we make a mistake, there's a good chance that he'll be able to stop them." Kelly will need his top game heading into this weekend, as the Red and Blue (3-2, 1-1 Ivy League) travel to New Canaan, Conn., to face 17th-ranked Cornell (3-2, 1-0). The teams agreed to play in the New York City area in order to allow alumni and recruits to watch the game. With the memory of a one-goal victory over a solid Harvard squad -- Penn's first win over the Crimson in 13 seasons -- still fresh in their minds, the Quakers will look to earn their first three-game winning streak in just over two years. "When you're winning, you just want to keep that going," Penn sophomore defenseman Evan Weinberg said. "The win definitely increased our morale but we still have to focus on just the Cornell game. They're a very good team and we'll need our best game against them." In their meeting last season, the Big Red walked away from the field with 16-7 win. The Quakers, despite playing a strong first two periods and taking a lead into halftime, unraveled in the second half, giving Cornell the win. "The second half was the worst half I've played in college," Kelly said. "So, personally, I'm looking to play really well in this particular match-up." In a league where the teams are fairly evenly matched, most Ivy games will come down to who brings the better game to the field that day. With the momentum and confidence of two solid victories on their side, the Quakers are hoping that they will be that team tomorrow. "Cornell isn't a team that we can build a big lead on and then just sit on it," Penn junior attackman Scott Solow said. "We have to work hard the entire game. "We have to come out and play the entire 60 minutes because this is the biggest game our season thus far."

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