F. Hockey Travels to face Penn State

After four consecutive shutouts, the 19th-ranked Penn field hockey team may feel like it needs a challenge. It's going to get one. The Quakers (6-1) travel into Happy Valley tonight to face top-ranked Penn State (10-0) in a game that could be the biggest challenge anyone could ask for. The Nittany Lions have allowed only three goals in their 10 games while scoring 25. All-American senior midfielder Christine McGinley has 11 of those goals and 23 points. In her career, she has 72 goals in 74 games. Sophomore goalie Shelly Meister has a 0.30 goals against average and seven shutouts. The Quakers, though, project an aura of serenity while preparing to face this titan. "I'm very calm because I think we're going to be ready," Penn coach Anne Sage said. "I just think the players will accept the challenge. I think every coach wants to play the number one team in the nation. We're going up there to beat them. I think they're worried and we're not afraid of Penn State." That lack of fear may be derived from the Quakers' previous record against Penn State. That record includes upsets of the Nittany Lions in 1988 and 1989 and a near-upset of the then third-ranked Nittany Lions last year at Franklin Field. Penn State took the 1-0 game on a hotly-contested goal. Many Penn fans felt the shot had been taken from outside of the 25-yard line. "We played our best game [last year] against Penn State," Sage said. "We have a very good record against them." Most recently, Penn State shut out No. 3 Iowa 1-0 in a defensive battle. In addition to holding the nation's leading scorer (the Hawkeyes' Kristy Gleason) scoreless for only the second time this season, the Nittany Lions prevented Iowa from earning a penalty corner for the first 48 minutes. Penn State mounted 19 shots to the Hawkeyes' seven. Penn State also has an impressive list of defeated opponents, including No. 2 North Carolina , Iowa, No. 6 Old Dominion, No. 8 Maryland, No. 9 Temple, No. 13 Michigan, No. 14 Syracuse and No. 17 Connecticut. Surprisingly, though, injuries have hampered Penn State all year. For example, McGinley sat out the first 35 minutes before entering in the second half to score the winning goal against Iowa. In addition, senior forward Kirt Benedict and sophomore forward Tara Maguire – sister of Penn's Franny Maguire – both began the season in casts. That the Nittany Lions have amassed these statistics despite the injuries may lead one to believe that the Quakers might be intimidated. On the contrary, however, Penn is looking forward to the game. "I think we can come up to their level," Quaker senior co-captain Maguire said. "Sometimes when you play a team that's not as good as you, you can play down to their level. I think we can come up to their level. That's what happened last year and we almost beat them. They're a really good team and they execute so well that we see them doing it and we think that we can do it too. We just want to give them a run for their money because they're number one and they might be a little cocky." As far as cockiness goes, Sage feels that the Quakers could be a little more confident. "Sometimes your humbleness gets in your way," Sage said. "We haven't acknowledged to ourselves as coaches and players that we're a fine team. [The players are] expecting perfection and we're not playing perfect hockey – but we're playing solid hockey. We haven't been really tested but I'd say we're solid in terms of controlling the offensive game, and we're developing as a defensive team. "We have nothing to lose. they're number one in the country and they're 10-0." Perhaps the result Penn is really looking for is more than a victory – it's recognition. "Everybody thinks that Penn is Penn State," junior defender Alicia Crawley said. "If you say Penn they just automatically assume it's Penn State. When we go on the road they don't know the University of Pennsylvania. It's very annoying." If Penn knocks off Penn State, it's a foregone conclusion that very few people will get the two teams confused in the future.

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