14 I WEDNESDAY, FEB. 10, 2010 Chloe Elmer Collegian Freshman Parker Raque performs on the vault against William & Mary Sunday. Penn State has a week-and-a-half before its next event Feb. 20. Sophomore Ettl excelling on bars Luck has tried its best to end Natalie Ettl's career. It has dealt her two knee tears, a torn meniscus and multiple surgeries. Despite all the injuries, the Penn State sophomore has fought back and is now . ;.; S one of the elite gymnasts in the nation. nv r oNAs T Irc In a meet against Illinois this past - weekend, Ettl cemented her position in the top tier of gymnasts. Ettl racked up a career-high 9.950 on the uneven bars, just shy of the school record. - The routine just felt great," she said. "Everything felt right the handstands. the release move was huge, I stuck the dis mount." It's not Ettl's preference to perform only on bars, but the number of knee injuries Etti she has suffered cost her a chance to com pete in the all-around like she was accus tomed to in high school. In 2005, Ettl tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee for the first time. After a year of rehabbing, Ettl tore it again in the same knee in 2007 after returning to the gym just months prior. Then, as a senior in high school, Ettl had to undergo more surgery to repair a torn meniscus, causing her to settle for a career on bars at Penn State. "There are times when I just want to go randomly do floor routine," Ettl joked. Ettl has adjusted quite well, becoming one of the best bar specialists in the country. With the exception of the tri meet on Jan. 30, Ettl's scores on bar have improved every week, culminating with Saturday's career-high against Illinois. That nearly flawless effort is the second-highest score recorded on bars in the nation this season. Coach Steve Shephard was equally impressed with the performance, calling Ettl's routine "tremendous." However, it still isn't even the best he has seen from her since she arrived on campus in fall 2008. In his 18 years as coach of the Nittany Lions, Shephard has trained a number of Penn State greats such as Katie Perret, who owns the school record on bars with a 9.975, and Katie Rowland, whose name is littered in the top 10 of nearly every school record. Even so, Shephard has never seen a bar routine as skilled as Ettl's. "She's got a world-class bar routine," Shephard said. In terms of difficulty, it's probably the most difficult routine we've ever had anyone do at Penn State on bars, and she does it very well." That routine, though, hasn't been part of Ettl's reper toire in nearly a half-decade. Ettl, who ranks 13th in the country on bars, has not used that routine in competition since her sophomore year of high school, which ended with a third-place finish at club nationals. The main component of Ettl's routine is a tough varia tion of a release move that most of the gymnasts on the team perform. Ettl performs a - Ray" release, named after 2000 Olympian Elise Ray. As she releases, Ettl keeps her feet on the bar, adding difficulty by slowing down the tim ing of the spin. Ettl also keeps her toes on the bar when doing her full pirouette. It's those skills that lead senior Alexandra Brockway to believe that Ettl has the ability to earn several postseason accolades on bars this year. Brockway was the Lions' most consistent performer on the event last year and garnered a spot on first-team All-America. Brockway sees similar recognition coming Ettl's way in the near future. "It's definitely obvious to tell that she earns her spot Brockway said. Pair of goalies to split time to replace award-winning Adan By Brendan Monahan COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER With only one scrimmage left before the start to the men's lacrosse season, no clear-cut announced at goalie. Instead, coach Glenn Thiel said the two contend- ing goalies, Dave Baker and John Nichols, will most likely split time this season with a concrete deci sion possibly coming later in the year. Both Thiel and defensive coach Travis Johnson were pleased with their goalies' per formances on Saturday. Nichols said the coaches would- By Jared Shanker COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER To e-mail reporter: jpss226@psu.edu n't I ow the starter until the first before leaving for Chapel Hill. game Feb. 20 against Robert Now, Baker and Nichols have to Morris. replace Adams, a three-time "At some point, ECAC Goalie of both of them are the Year going to be play- "At first, it's ing, - Johnson intimidating, look said. "That's just ing at it from the the way it's going outside," Nichols to be with these said. "Watching guys." him play, I'm very Baker and comfortable Nichols have the Baker knowing that I Nichols task of filling the could do what he vacant spot left by Steven Rastivo, did." who transferred to North Baker, a former Ice Lions goalie Carolina, and replacing last year's who walked onto the team, starter and Long Island Lizards' received the start against Hobart. goalie Drew Adams. Rastivo, who Nichols backed him up, and fresh ould not be reached as of press man Conor Baucum also gained ime, was Adams' backup last year playing time. Thiel said both MEN'S LACROSSE Midfielder Maria Valderas (10) evades LaSalle defenders in Penn State's scrimmage Sunda, at - " Maryland influence spreads to R Maybe there is something in the water or maybe the state just breeds the talent. In Maryland, girls start playing lacrosse when they are barely big enough to carry their own sticks, and the boys are so small they have trouble supporting the hel met resting on their shoulders. And those Maryland-bred players have found their way to Penn State. Fourteen of the 29 players on the Penn State women's lacrosse team are from the state of Maryland, and coach Suzanne Isidor is, too. The growth of lacrosse has explod ed in the last 20 years, and the core of its popularity resides just below the Mason-Dixon Line. Starting as young as 5 years old, children in Maryland are exposed to the game through youth leagues and associations that jumpstart interest in the sport. Penn State women lacrosse play ers and coaches from around the country have noticed the trend in Maryland breeding top-notch play ers. They say because the girls are exposed to the game at such a young age, they develop skills faster than other children in different parts of the country "All I know is when I was growing up, every 7-year-old girl was playing," Penn State freshman and Baltimore PC)RI S Break helps team prepa) By Kevin Kline COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER After a bye week this weekend, the schedule for the No. 5 Penn State men's gymnastics team gets a little bit tougher. The Nittany MEN'S Lions host No. 2 GYMNASTICS Illinois on Feb. 20, visit No. 6 Ohio State the next weekend, and then come home to host No. 7 Minnesota and No. 10 Temple on March 6 in their only home tri meet of the season. How the group performs during this critical part of the season will be important in evaluating where it stands among the rest of the country "Getting into the meat of the schedule just comes down to being scrappy and being tough," coach Randy Jepson said. "That's what I'm looking to see us do, regardless of who we're against. Just to hit pretty good routines so we're maximizing our opportuni ties." Through the first month of the season, the team is 2-1 in its dual meets, beating Army in the season opener, losing at now-No. 1 Michigan, then beating William & By Margaret McAvoy COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER WOMEN'S LACROSSE Mary on Jan. 31 at Rec Hall This past weekend, three gym nasts competed in the Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas, while the rest of the squad had those days off. That, combined with this week end's bye, means a long layoff as far as team competition goes. When Penn State faces off against the Illini, it will have been 19 days since its victory over the Tribe. But the long break comes at an important time, as it has allowed some gymnasts to recover from their nagging injuries just in time for the stretch run. "It's a good break, and we need it." Jepson said. - We're still not 100 percent with some things, but we're definitely gonna get some mileage and preparation with the time off." With freshmen and sophomores comprising 14 of the team's 20 gymnasts, Jepson knows his inex perienced group will be tested with the upcoming schedule. "I told the guys yesterday, 'When you look on paper, we're out-manned, it's no doubt,' " Jepson said. "We're young, and they've got real seasoned guys. But you don't win meets on paper, you win them in the gvm and on native Molly Fernandez said. Fernandez said she was one of those 5-year-old girls running around with a stick a bit too large and she joked, "If you are from Maryland, you play lacrosse." Ruthie Lavelle, the Maryland Youth Lacrosse Association's (MYLA) president and founder said the league has roughly 40,000 youth players and has produced many Penn State players. The recreational league is the largest and the most recognized in the state and is respon sible for organizing leagues and games for young players ranging from 5 to 15 years old. When MYLA started its first girl's league in 1988, Lavelle said there were about 200 girls enrolled. Since then, the numbers have increased to a new high. In the 2009 season, the number of girls registered was more than 20,000, making the number of girls in the league higher than boys. And this coming spring season, Lavelle expects a higher number of girls playing than ever before, she said. But senior captain Margo Josephs didn't start playing lacrosse until sev enth grade much later than many girls. Josephs, of Reistertown, Md., said she thinks the reason behind many players starting so young is embedded within family tradition. Joseph's parents are not Maryland natives and that is why, Josephs said, she didn't start until later. Unlike Josephs, junior attacker Baker and Nichols need improve on clearing attempts. Baker emphasized the impor tance of the Iroquois National scrimmage on Sunday for decid ing who has the edge at goalie. Baker said the coaches will decide who plays based on how each goalie performs leading up to games. "Once a team realizes a weak point, the floodgates open," Baker said. "It's going to be really impor tant for either Nichs or Ito really play well." Baker said he and Nichols don't have to be superstars. They sim ply need to block the outside shots and allow the defense to play its game a comforting notion for Baker and Nichols. THE 1)111A COLi the equipment. Ss) t th!:; just go in and di , what happens_" Jepson has stre s ;, , dl; nasts the ]11.c:L.;:., on their ov, a pzel the upcoming oppi)nei, - .: opposition is the belle ! . there's nothing about it. Jepson said. The squad has Jepson's ideol„ tance of this season is not 1,J.,! group. "Right now get everyone reco\( rt.l calls kicked into gt.• ' is when we have to everything On and • routines real well -( Miguel Pineda said. The team can conit . destiny as long cleanly and doen't in. said. 'A lot of times in 1 - 1; Comes down to w doesn't. - Pined: sam "And that's v ha', v. , . make sure that when it Comes 00.‘,1 we know we can hit what... k+ik& . C;- Jen Steadman • lacrosse tradition, tit ne Steadman's morn through high Bch played at Loyola. Stt..,tcao started playing in first joked it was so long ago t stick was actually itriad;_ t , l Meanwhile. senior 1 1 .1 a: comes from a family at stars, but she picked no many kids in Maryland Flo popularity Valderas said Mary tion for being a top-noo_ region often attrac, s the club level. Penp State c!nac..ia Annapolis. Md. nati Nittanv Lion stands:_'. ~ • up playing lacrosse. Isidor joked about s people in Mary statewide-reeogniz., people have lacrosse hats. lacim- The sport is just a :);Art nt t:, • Isidor said. People have bun! , er lacrosse is the tinotfi,:l Maryland." Isidor said. To e-mail reporter mcm3 *The Crosse ues the stogy , of lacrosse r ',l tNTQa is nationa; psucol!egian.z;orn Nichols said Rikel ability to make the in one-on-one situation-- opponents. But hecaust Baker's first season lacrosse. Nichols feei advantage in the expenf.s: Nichols believes he the advantage over 1-; blocking outside shots vocal with his nse S thing he may have iewl Adams, who, Nichols sal; him everythin about lacrosse. "I have to realize my team, - Nichols sal( trying to play to prove that good as Drew Adams.- To e-mail reporter: bjmsl46(a:,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers