Penn State-bound Miller among 3 Pine-Richland girls to earn All-America honors
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Friday, June 29, 2018 | 11:00 PM
Marina Miller brought a streak to a successful end recently as a member of the Pine-Richland girls lacrosse team.
Miller, a senior midfielder and Penn State recruit, was named a US Lacrosse Girls' High School All-American for Western Pennsylvania for the third year in a row.
“Making All-America is a huge honor,” she said. “I was very motivated to get it (again).”
Miller recorded 85 goals, 24 assists and 110 draw controls. She led Pine-Richland to its second consecutive WPIAL Class AAA title.
She finished her career with 325 goals — a school record — and 94 assists.
Pine-Richland coach Brittany Adams said Miller is one of the most talented players she has coached.
“She loves the game and takes it upon herself to practice and better herself,” Adams said. “She is (like) a coach on the field.”
Penn State coach Missy Doherty expects Miller to have an immediate impact next season.
“(She has) great speed, great skills,” Doherty said. “We could see that early on.
“Her scoring ability is great. (She should) adjust fairly quickly.”
Miller hopes to help the Nittany Lions to an NCAA championship. They reached the semifinals in 2017 before losing in the first round this season.
She chose Penn State over Maryland, the 2017 NCAA champion.
“I'm looking forward to playing with all the girls and moving into a faster-paced game,” she said.
Miller was one of three Pine-Richland players to make All-America, the most of any WPIAL team.
Senior defender Megan Lieberman, a Liberty recruit, caused 20 turnovers and had two goals, one assist and 23 ground balls this season. Adams said Lieberman was one of the top defenders ever to have played for the Talbots.
Junior goalie Abby Levier had a 0.57 save percentage. Adams said Levier is mentally tough and one of the strongest individuals she has coached.
Levier strived to be an All-American.
“To be named with Megan Lieberman and Marina Miller is something I never thought would happen,” she said. “When I came into the program a year behind them, they were my role models and still are.”
US Lacrosse divides the country into 73 geographic areas. A chairperson coordinates and administers the awards in each.
Karen Kadilak is a freelance writer.
Tags: Pine-Richland
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