F. Hockey seniors play last home game

Tomorrow marks the end of an era at Franklin Field. Before the homecoming festivities begin, eight senior members of the Penn field hockey team will say a fond farewell to the familiar turf. The Quakers will host Yale at 10 a.m. in their final home game of the season. Amy Pine, Mandy Kauffman, Suzy Pures, Melissa Sage, Rani Bajwa, Lily Ma, Alicia Crawley and Jennifer Rickert will be honored in a small pregame ceremony, as Penn (8-4-1, 2-1-1 Ivy League) celebrates the contribution of the Class of 1995. And what a contribution it has been. During the last four seasons, the Class of '95 has been instrumental in taking the Quakers from their worst Ivy season ever to two Ancient Eight championships, and nearly to a third. Pine has been named team most valuable player twice, while Kauffman is a two-time participant in the U.S. Olympic festival. Pures, Sage, Bajwa and Ma have stonewalled opponents since their freshman year on the defensive end. The number of all-Ivy selections between them boggles the mind. "It's a sentimental time because we have a great group of seniors," Kauffman said. "It will be our last time playing together on Franklin Field, and this is the best field I've ever played on. There's nothing like it. It will be sad." But not nearly as sad as it should be for the Elis (2-9-1, 0-4-1), who find themselves buried in the Ivy League cellar. Yale has not won since the first week of classes, and has yet to score a goal in Ivy play this year. Though on paper tomorrow's contest promises to be a cakewalk, Penn coach Anne Sage is wary of the Elis. Sage recognizes the striking similarities between Yale and Cornell, which upset the Quakers on Franklin Field earlier this year to spoil Penn's hopes for a third consecutive Ivy League title. Cornell also had not scored a goal in Ivy competition before facing Penn, but exploded for three goals against the Quakers. "I use the analogy of the wrestler on the mat," Sage said. "Cornell has been on their back a lot, and we let them get up. I think it's real important that we get off to a good start, and really set the tone by putting the ball in the cage early. That will just take the wind out of their sails. If you let a team into the game, it builds their confidence." Penn is suffering no lack of confidence after holding defending national champion Maryland scoreless through most of the game Tuesday, before the Terrapins slipped by 1-0 on a late corner. "We have been having a lot of fun the last couple of weeks," Kauffman said. "We played great games against Penn State and Maryland, and hopefully we'll play hard and beat Yale by a lot." As the clock winds down on one of Penn's finest field hockey classes in its illustrious history, there is little doubt they will rise to the occasion.