F. Hockey hits the Big Time

Plays Syracuse in 1st round Not since 1989 has the Penn field hockey team been invited to the NCAA tournament. Passed over last season – some would say unjustly – the 12th-ranked Quakers now have the chance to prove they belong with the nation's hockey elite, much like the 1988 Penn team did when it hosted the Final Four. And this afternoon at Syracuse (Coyne Field, 1 p.m.), the Quakers (11-4) begin a quest to do just that against a 9th-ranked Orangewoman team that appears to be very beatable. So beatable, in fact, that Penn coach Anne Sage is already looking to the opponent of this game's winner – top-ranked Penn State. "I think Syracuse is very beatable," Sage said. "This group's intensity and competitiveness on the field is really coming out. After 25 years I want to be cocky. I want to finish up [the season] with a bang and that's to go get the No. 1 team in the country. There's no fear there. I think it's a package deal here – you beat Syracuse to get to Penn State." To beat Syracuse (16-3-1), Penn will have to neutralize a potent offensive attack that has produced over two goals per game. Leading the Syracuse attack is a trio of extremely quick forwards who have produced some nice numbers. Shelley Magee and Julie Williamson are tied for the team lead in points with 26. Williamson has 10 goals, Magee is not far behind with nine. The third forward is Heather Chase, who has three goals. Shutting down these forwards is of paramount importance for the Quakers. "Without seeing them play and just getting some feedback from friends' teams who have played them, I think it's going to be instrumental where a couple of their players are," assistant coach Val Cloud said. "We might have to adjust the matchups. I'm hoping Williamson's at center forward. I think [senior co-captain and defender] Missy [Hecht] would match up very well with her. I don't think its so much us worrying about them as it is us executing and being aware of where they are." Balance is another key aspect of the Syracuse offense. In addition to Magee and Williamson, two other players have very high point totals. Defender Julie Clark has 22 points, and midfielder Jodi Carter has 19. "We have four players very close to each other as far as scoring goes," Syracuse coach Kathleen Parker said. "I think that's helped because when one player has trouble the other three pick up the slack." Another obstacle in Penn's path is the Orangewomen's home record. Syracuse sports an 8-0 mark on the artificial turf of Coyne Field. For Parker though, the Orangewomen's home-field advantage is more important because of their previous rigorous travel schedule. "We're glad to be home, but quite honestly it's not because we're 8-0," Parker said. "We've been on the road the last three weekends with long five- or six-hour trips through New England." It will also be interesting to watch the two teams' penalty corner units match up. Syracuse has had trouble scoring on corners, while strong corner defense has been a hallmark of this Quaker squad. "What hasn't pleased me is that our corner unit hasn't been as effective as we would have liked it to be," Parker said. "A great deal of our goals have come off the field. That's different from two or three years ago when most of our goals would come on corners." The news that most of Syracuse's goals have come off the field is welcome to Cloud, who would rather see that than a corner-intensive team. "I think we've got pretty solid defense, especially below the 25 [yard-line]," Cloud said. "I think we've been recovering well [on defense]. We've given up most goals on corners." Penn's corner unit, with Pine on the trigger most of the time, will face an interesting challenge in Syracuse goalie Cheri Herr. The sophomore has a 0.75 goals against average and has been particularly strong on corners. Beating Herr in general will be difficult for the Quakers. Herr has amassed a sterling .910 save percentage and has two good backs in front of her in Clark and Jackie Werner. Parker called Clark and Werner "extremely strong". Parker also raved about Herr, whom she characterized as more of a stay-at-home type of goalkeeper. "[Herr] has very good reactions," Parker said. "Her decision making has gotten better and better. She improved a ton even this year in making decisions." To beat Herr, Penn has continued to work on the cross passes that worked so well against Yale. "In the last two weeks, we've spent more time on shooting drills," Cloud said. "Spending time with the forwards, just getting their eyes on the ball. We've spent a lot of time in practice on cross balls – and in practice they go in." Perhaps the last bit of motivation for the Quakers is that a win here would validate the Ivy League's automatic bid. "I think we really want to make a point and show that we really deserve to go," junior goalie Suzy Pures said. "A real slap in the face was coming into the season and not being ranked at all after winning the Ivies last year." But all things considered, Sage is still as confident as ever. "You're talking about a veteran squad of two years," Sage said. "These aren't little bunnies and kittens – they know what its all about. I think some of them dream about all this. They haven't scratched the surface of their potential."