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Field Hockey vs. Columbia Credit: Sam Sherman , Sam Sherman

In a game characterized by Penn field hockey looking both strong at times and vulnerable at others, the Quakers began to build a winning streak against a local rival on Tuesday.

The Red and Blue beat Villanova, 2-1, extending their winning streak to three games thanks to goals from Alexa Hoover and Elizabeth Hitti.

Penn (7-7) appears to have fully shaken off the effects of a devastating overtime loss to Columbia back on Oct. 18, but it did not come easy against the struggling Wildcats (4-12).

Following an uneventful first couple minutes to start the game , Penn quickly started advancing a determined offensive attack marked by several chances for an early goal.

Hitti, a junior attack, kept Villanova on its toes with a number of dangerous shots. Despite her valiant efforts, however, both teams remained both goalless as the first half dragged on .

It was after fifteen minutes of continuous battery from the Red and the Blue that their efforts finally paid off, as Hoover scored the first goal of the game in the 27th minute on a penalty corner off of an assist from senior midfielder Alex Iqbal. The goal, tallied just minutes before halftime, put Penn in a comfortable position for the second half.

After the break, though, things would heat up.

After trading shots in the initial minutes, Villanova found an equalizer in the 41st minute as sophomore midfielder Kristen Mericle pushed a shot past Penn goalie Allison Weisenfels.

Once again, the game was wide open.

After nearly ten minutes of relatively few chances for both teams, Hitti finally managed to push a shot past Villanova goalkeeper Jordyn Clipstone off a tough angle. Iqbal received credit for her second assist of the game.

With the comfort of the lead in hand, it was all Penn again, until Villanova called timeout in the 61st minute.

In the last ten minutes of the game, the Wildcats attempted desperately to level the game, but were unsuccessful.

The future schedule does Penn no favors, though. The Red and Blue still have to face Ivy leader Princeton in the season finale after matchups with Brown and Rutgers.

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