ABINGTON , Pa. – The Penn State Abington women's lacrosse team ground out a crucial and emotional 11-6 win over Cazenovia College on Saturday afternoon. The Nittany Lions improve to 9-1 for the season and 5-1 in the conference.

Before the game Abington honored Marlee Flynn a third grader from Green Woods Charter in Roxborough, Pa. who suffers from pediatric brain cancer. Through Friends of Jaclyn the Nittany Adopted Marlee and named her the honorary captain before the game.

Head coach Noelle Powell went into detail what Marlee has meant to the team. "We understand that time with Marlee is precious and are grateful her family is willing to share her with us. We were blessed to get to know her, and she has a lot of big sisters in her corner!"

 Freshman Veronica Baez (Hatboro, Pa.) led the Nittany Lions with four goals for the day.

Through the rainy slick conditions neither team could gain an edge, until Alynn Phelan (Philadelphia, Pa.) scored the game's first goal with seven minutes off the clock.  Both teams were deadlocked over the next seven minutes until the Wildcats scored back to back goals within 30 seconds of each other to take a 2-1 lead. Phelan forced a turnover on the goal keeper, picked up the ground ball, and scored an easy open net goal to tie the game.  Baez gave the Nittany Lions the advantage with her goal, but Cazenovia answered back within a minute of scoring.  Another goal from Baez gave the Nittany Lions the edge and a free position shot from Phelan put the Nittany Lions ahead 5-3 at the break.

Abington came out of the break and scored the next three goals to take an 8-3 lead, with two goals from sophomore Marah Hayes (Warminster, Pa.) and one from Molly Wyman (Abington, Pa.).  Cazenovia wouldn't go away quietly in a physical match-up and responded with two goals to stay within reach.  A goal from Baez and Hayes shifted momentum in the Nittany Lions favor and the defense stifled the attack only allowing one goal for the rest of the game.

The Nittany Lions will face off against Morrisville State tomorrow in a critical conference clash at 1:00 p.m. If Abington wins they sit in the driver's seat to host the North Eastern Athletic Conference tournament.