By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 3/4/09
Strath Haven senior attacker Annalise Penikis has signed a letter of intent to
play next year at Lehigh University.
Penikis, an Academic All-American choice last year, liked the Bethlehem campus and the direction of the program under first-year coach and Ursinus College graduate Jill Redfern.
“I just loved the campus, I thought it was gorgeous,” Penikis said. “I felt very comfortable when I was there and I really liked the coach (Redfern) and her attitude. She is very enthusiastic and very serious about making it a top program.
“She also stressed the balance between academics and athletics.”
Penikis was accepted into the business and engineering honors program and may pursue biomedical engineering.
For now, though, her focus is helping the Panthers reach several goals they’ve set this year. The past two seasons, Strath Haven has failed to achieve its goal of winning a Central League or District 1 Class AA championships.
And last year’s season ended on a bitter note as the Panthers fell to league rival Springfield-Delco in the district semis. This year the Panthers return nearly their entire nucleus and admit to having high expectations.
“I’m just very excited and very anxious to get into the season and to get into the games,” Penikis said. “This is the most experienced this team has been in a long time.
“We always had the talent, we just didn’t have the composure we needed in the final game. I really think we have it this year.”
Penikis said the team has set a goal of winning a league and state championship.
“That’s our mindset, our mentality,” she said. “We don’t want anything less.”
