Averaging fewer than seven goals in its last six games, the lastthing the Northwestern lacrosse team needs is to face anaward-winning goalkeeper.

But Saturday when the Wildcats (6-5, 1-3 ALC) take on No. 10Penn State (6-6, 3-0), that’s exactly what will happen. Lady Lions’goalie Lee Tortorelli is fresh off winning National Inside LacrossePlayer of the Week.

Tortorelli, a sophomore, earned the top honor for a 19-saveperformance April 7 against John Hopkins. In the match, she faced30 shots and only surrendered four goals.

With NU’s recent offensive struggles, those aren’t veryappealing numbers for the Cats.

In four of their first five games of the season, the Cats scoredin double digits, including a 17-4 demolition of Sacred Heart.

They went 5-0.

But NU hasn’t scored more than 10 goals since the fast start.Five of the Cats’ last games have been against top-20 opponents,and the team has only been able to muster up one win.

The highly potent scoring duo of Courtneys — Flynn and Koester– has been tame recently.

Flynn established herself as an offensive threat early in theseason, scoring nine goals in three games and matching last year’sseason goal total of 12 in NU’s first five contests.

Koester is second on the team in scoring behind Flynn. Thejunior posted nine goals during NU’s 5-0 stretch, including afour-goal performance in the Cats’ 13-9 win at Ohio on March 8.

But since then their sticks have cooled. Both players have onlygotten the ball in the net five times since NU’s March 10 win overDuquesne.

However, NU coach Kelly Amonte Hiller doesn’t see this as muchof a problem.

“We have tons of weapons,” she said. “To focus on their scoringis kinda short-sighted. They do so much for us on the field.”

Not only is Koester a good shooter and accurate passer, butshe’s also one of the best centers in the conference. She’s oftenutilized on defense, and because of her quickness she is always athreat bringing the ball upfield.

But as she emerged this season into an offensive leader, Koestersaid opponents have started to key in to isolate her.

“It’s weird, I’ve never been marked out before,” she said.”Every single team we play I hear my number being called out.They’re aware of who I am. It’s had an effect, but itshouldn’t.”

As opposing teams began to single out Koester and Flynn, severalother players have had to step up, make plays and score goals.

Freshmen Lynda McCandlish and Laura Glassanos are becoming majorthreats on the field. The pair combined for five goals in NU’slosses to Stanford and Virginia Tech last weekend, and they havefound themselves open while teams try to trap and isolate Koesterand Flynn.

But even as other players step up, and the Courtneys findsthemselves contributing in other ways, Koester and Flynn still wantto score.

“I definitely want the ball,” Koester said. “I definitely wantthe chance to make an impact.”

Against the Lady Lions, it won’t matter who scores — but theCats need to get out of the slump.