Penn women's lacrosse ready for revenge in rematch of last year's Ivy tournament title game

For many, Spring Break is a time to relax and recuperate after a strenuous string of midterms and essays. For others, it’s a time to cut loose and unwind, partying with friends on a beach. For Penn women’s lacrosse, Spring Break doesn’t necessarily live up to its name.

Instead of lying on a couch or dancing at a concert, the Quakers (3-0) will forgo their break and enter a tough stretch of three games in eight days.

The first of those contests will be against rivals Cornell to open Ivy League play. The Big Red (1-1) are ranked 16th in the nation by the Cascade Women’s Media Poll and will be eager to prove their mettle against No. 13 Penn when they travel to Franklin Field on March 4. The last time these teams met, Cornell defeated Penn to win the Ivy League Tournament, so the Quakers should have no shortage of fuel for this early season test.

The matchup will pit two of the top scorers in the conference, Cornell’s Amie Dickson and Penn’s Alex Condon, against each other in what could be a high-octane matchup.

But if Penn goalie Britt Brown has anything to say about it, Dickson and company won’t be scoring easily, as Brown was stopping shots at a 68 percent clip prior to Wednesday’s 11-9 win over Rutgers.

Immediately following the Cornell game, the Red and Blue must brace themselves for a quick turnaround, as they are set to battle Lehigh (1-1) on March 7. The game, which will be held at Penn Park, could prove to be another tightly contested matchup. Last season, Lehigh boasted a 13-5 record en route to a third-place finish in the Patriot League. The Mountain Hawks will look to continue their strong play and to take take down Penn in hopes of earning a national ranking.

To close the “break,” Penn will remain in Philadelphia and play host to Georgetown on March 11. The Hoyas (1-3) have struggled thus far this year, but the quality of their schedule has been impressive. They’ve lost to No. 1 Maryland and No. 17 Towson, and they’ll travel to No. 18 John Hopkins before battling Penn. Needless to say, the Hoyas will be well-prepared to matchup against a team of Penn’s caliber.

Penn will certainly put that caliber to the test over this break, as these games could go a long way in determining the Quakers’ national standing for the remainder of the year.

So, if all goes well, Penn women’s lacrosse’s version of Spring Break will be just as enjoyable as that of their fellow students.