The NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse Tournament bracket was announced Monday evening. Penn is the No. 2 seed and will face Colgate Sunday at 1pm. Over the next few days I’ll provide some analysis and team reactions to the draw. First: Did the Quakers get shafted? Second: Will the Quakers see some familiar faces? Third: Are people biased against Penn and in love with Northwestern? Now up: Isn't that a Quaker on the wrong sideline?
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The last time Karrie Moore was actively involved in a lacrosse game at Franklin Field, it was her Senior Day game against Brown on April 22, 2006. Minding the net for the Quakers, Moore gave up only six goals as Penn coasted to a 15-6 win.
And although she returned to 33rd and South to watch Northwestern play Penn in the Final Four last year, Sunday will mark the first time Moore will return to Franklin Field not as a spectator.
But she won't be on Penn's side of the field.
Instead, the 2006 graduate of the College will be coaching against the Quakers as an assistant coach for Colgate in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
"I think it's a big coincidence," Colgate head coach Heather Bliss said. "Obviously you see this happen with coaches in other sports too. But ... we were very excited when we were watching the selection show and we saw that we drew Penn."
For Moore, this was a dream come true.
"I was very excited," she said about learning she'd coach against her alma mater. "It was the matchup I was hoping for. It's always exciting to go back to Penn."
Moore was the main Quaker goalkeeper in the 2006 season, going 8-3 with 10 starts and five other appearances in the team's 16 games. While she might not be playing goalkeeper any longer, she still spends time near the net; her main responsibility on the Colgate staff is to help with the Raiders' goalies.
While she'll be all business during the game with instructing Raiders' goalie Sara Drexler, she did admit that before and after the game she'd be somewhat conflicted.
"Before the game it definitely will be strange being on the other sideline," she said. "But once the game starts, the excitement of the game will pull me in. And then after the game it will be a little odd seeing my [former] teammates."
This potential unusualness of seeing current and past teammates face off against each other wasn't lost on Moore's superior.
"I know it's nice for her to come back and see her teammates play, but at the same time we're trying to win the game against them," Bliss said. "I think for Karrie she will be happy for them if they win, but she would be ecstatic for us if we win."
In addition to providing Moore with a good story to tell the grandkids one day, returning to face her alma mater will also give her current team some help in the scouting report.
"I think that I have more of an idea of what to expect and with knowing half the team, that makes it a lot easier," the Lutherville, Md. native said.
Bliss agreed: "I definitely think it helps with some things because she does know some players, certainly better than you ever can from watching film."
But giving the Raiders some advice on the Quakers isn't the only thing Moore can tell the team.
"She'll be our tour guide in Philly since she knows everything" about it, Bliss said. "I know it's a really good feeling for her coming back."
Tags: ncaa tournament, W. Lax
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