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Penn women's lacrosse team opens NCAAs against Navy

Quakers play Navy as they host first- and second-round games this weekend.

PENN'S WOMEN'S lacrosse team - which got to the NCAA final four in 2007, '08 and '09 and reached the title game in '08 - is in the NCAA Tournament for the 11th straight year, the fifth-longest active streak in the nation. And the Quakers (13-3), seeded seventh in the 26-team field, are hosting first- and second-round games for the first time since 2010.

They'll play Navy (15-4) on Friday at 4 p.m. in an opener at Penn Park's Dunning-Cohen Field. It's the teams' first meeting. Colorado (16-3), making its tournament debut in the program's fourth year of existence, gets Massachusetts (16-3) at 7. This will be the ninth consecutive appearance for UMass.

Navy is coached by Cindy Timchal, the sport's all-time Division I victory leader for women. She won eight national titles at Maryland and began her college career as a Penn assistant for both lacrosse and field hockey in 1979.

The Quakers have never met Colorado and haven't played UMass since 1980.

They've won their last three NCAA openers. Last year they advanced to the quarterfinals before losing at Penn State.

"It's exciting that we've earned the right to play at home," said coach Karin Corbett, who was hired in 2000 to take over a program coming off a 1-12 season. "That's a reflection on our season and the strength of our group. It's been seven years . . . Our players are thrilled to have another opportunity to play in front of their fans."

Penn is ranked fourth in scoring defense (8.31 goals per game). Goalie Britt Brown is No. 2 in save percentage (.546), just one-thousandth of a point behind Princeton's Ellie DeGarmo.

Alex Cordon has 43 goals, including 20 in the last six games.

"Britt has been a rock for us," Corbett said. "To succeed at this level, you need a goalkeeper you can rely on to make big saves in important situations . . .

"Alex is one of the best two-way midfielders in the country. She can create her own scoring opportunities and is one of the best finishers I've ever coached. At the same time, she is a key part of our defensive unit with her caused turnovers and also her intellect in reading what opponents are trying to do. She is a complete player."

The winners will meet Sunday at 1.

kernm@phillynews.com

@mikekerndn