Three Up, Three Down | Penn field hockey vs. Lafayette

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Coming off of a 1-0 loss to Cornell last Sunday, the Quakers (2-3, 0-1 Ivy) will travel an hour north to face the Lafayette Leopards on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Rappolt Field. If Penn capitalizes on its strengths Wednesday, it can expect to win against the Leopards, who are still recovering from a weak 2013 season and have been off to a less-than-favorable start this year.

Three Up

Alexa Hoover: Freshman Alexa Hoover has been leading the Quakers offensively, scoring six goals and 14 points in the first five games, and is one of the strongest offensive players in the Ivy League. She was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week twice in her first three weeks of collegiate field hockey, the first Quaker to do so since 2009. Hoover has been a refreshing and exciting addition to the Red and Blue this season and will prove to be one of the key players in the game against Lafayette.

Allison Weisenfels: Senior goalkeeper Allison Weisenfels has played a surprising yet crucial role in Penn’s success this season. After seeing her play every minute this season, one might be surprised that Weisenfels only played two games prior to this year due to injuries. It seems as though she may be making up for lost time, as this season she has saved an impressive 27 shots on goal and has a 1.60 goals-against average.

Penn’s Defense: Penn’s defense has performed remarkably well this year, allowing only eight goals. Thanks to the Quakers’ strong defense, all of Penn’s losses this year have been extremely close, each ultimately determined by a single goal. In contrast, the Leopards’ defense has been off to a rough start, allowing their opponents to score 18 goals in their first eight games.

Three Down

Penn on the road: The Quakers may face some difficulty as they leave Ellen Vagelos Field and travel to Lafayette’s Rappolt Field. Penn faltered in its first away game this Sunday, losing to Cornell, 1-0. Despite the score, Penn had an impressive and exciting first game of the Ivy season. The Quakers only allowed Cornell to score once despite the Big Red’s offensive pressure, a testament to Penn’s strong defense led by Allison Weisenfels.

Amanda Magadan: Lafayette’s sophomore forward Amanda Magadan could prove to be an obstacle for the Quakers. Magadan was named to the USA U-21 squad this summer, had a strong preseason, and has had an impressive start to the season for the Leopards. She leads Lafayette offensively with four goals and nine points. Magadan proved to be key to Lafayette’s 3-1 win against Monmouth, tallying two goals and an assist.

A renewed Lafayette: Last season was one of rebuilding for the Leopards. This season, Lafayette welcomes talent from abroad. Additions to the Leopards include freshmen Rosie Shanks from Scotland and Ellen Colbourne from Canada. The team has also added two assistant coaches, Emily Janis and Joachim Civico. The Leopards were disappointed with the way their previous season ended, with a poor regular season record and loss in the first round of the Patriot League playoffs. It is clear through their new additions that the Leopards hope to avenge their losses and turn things around in 2014.