F. Hockey set to clash with aggressive Owls

The committee that selects NCAA playoff teams is different from the committees that selects the weekly national and regional standings. For the Penn field hockey team, this is good –– to a point. Coming into today's game across town at Temple, the Quakers are unranked, despite defeating William & Mary -- which actually moved up on the charts -- this weekend. This week, the Ivy League's ranked teams are Princeton (6-3 overall, No. 18) and Yale (8-2, No. 20). For the Quakers, who are trying to earn themselves a spot in postseason play, this does have some effect. Although the selection committees are different, the NCAA field often closely resembles the national rankings. Unfortunately for the Quakers, the national rankings are determined from regional rankings, and although the Red and Blue defeated William and Mary, it had little effect on either team, which are in different regions. Penn's region includes Maryland (No. 2), Rutgers (No. 16) and Princeton, which rank first through third regionally. Although a national ranking is not a tremendous concern, the matchup with Temple will supply Penn the opportunity for regional recognition. Temple is 4-8 on the season, but its record is not indicative of just how much competition the Cherry and White can serve up. The Owls have beaten bigger schools such as Michigan State, and handed a big-time upset to No. 4 Penn State. The game should offer Penn a physical challenge, a traditional style of play for which the Owls have been known. Although physical doesn't mean Nancy Kerrigan-like attacks, Temple has no problem with contact as a result of aggressiveness. "Hockey in general is getting more physical," explained Penn coach Val Cloud. "They have big hitters and there is more body contact, but not in a negative way." Temple has had the upper hand since 1975, when the two teams started playing each other, with Penn losing the series 5-16. The Quakers, however, did manage to eke out a win last year, 1-0. "We're tired of getting knocked around. They are one of the stronger teams in the region," Cloud said. Penn's key asset has been goalkeeper Sarah Dunn. As a freshman, Dunn leads the Ivies in save percentage and goals-against-average. If Penn can win today and Sunday at Cornell, the Ivy pundits are predicting that the national pollsters may have to recognize the Quakers.