Scoring, postseason are goals for F. Hockey

With dreams of an NCAA tournament berth, the Penn field hockey team had hoped wins over regional rivals Temple and Cornell would boost the team's stock with the pollsters. But Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Owls set back those hopes of improving the Quakers' regional ranking. While Penn's plans may have been changed, they do not need to be scrapped. The Quakers (8-3, 2-0 Ivy League) are still very much in the hunt for a postseason invite. Sunday's visit to Ithaca, N.Y., will provide Penn with an opportunity to prove it belongs. Sporting the only undefeated Ivy League record this side of Princeton, the Quakers, a half-game behind the Tigers in the standings, hope to move to 3-0 in the conference. The Big Red possesses one of the most potent offenses in the Ancient Eight. The Cornell scoring attack is led by freshman sensation Emily Robb. The first-year forward leads the team with 23 points -- including 10 goals -- in 11 games. Sophomore forward Cari Hills has racked up 22 points of her own, giving the Big Red the Ivy League's top two scorers. In stark contrast to Cornell (6-4, 1-1), Penn relies on a spread-the-wealth-around philosophy that has resulted in a very balanced offensive attack. Senior forward Kara Philbin and senior defenseman Sue Quinn have paced the Quakers with six goals each in 11 games. But Marla Maiorano, Sue Pierce, Michele Canuso-Bedesem, Amy Shapiro and Abby Herbine have all produced in the offensive circle. Putting shots on net has been a Penn strength all season, as the Quakers have out-shot the opposition 156-95. But despite the lopsided shot tallies, six of Penn's eight wins have been by only one goal. "We have to improve on finishing off our plays," junior defenseman Curran Kelly said. "Most important is to keep momentum going. We can't let up after scoring a goal, because that's when we're vulnerable to letting up a goal." Despite getting upset by Temple and West Chester in past weeks, the Quakers must look forward as the Ivy League season enters the critical stretch run. "No matter a team's record, hopes of an upset or keeping a streak makes every Ivy League game competitive," Kelly said. One area in which Penn has a clear advantage is in experience. The Quakers have a tradition of winning, and most of the present Penn players were part of the 1993 Ivy championship team. While Penn's two leading scorers are experienced seniors, Cornell must rely on a freshman and sophomore to make the plays. "We've got the edge in experience," Kelly said. "But inexperience is not always a bad thing. They don't doubt their ability. They have no fear. They don't worry about this being their last year or having to win it now." But the Big Red does not have a monopoly on talented prospects. This week's Ivy League Rookie of the Week was not from Cornell, but from Penn. Quakers goaltender Sarah Dunn was awarded for posting three shutouts in a week, including one against No. 17 William and Mary. Dunn shared the spotlight with Maiorano, who was awarded Ivy Player of the Week for the same period. The senior notched two goals against Lehigh, scored the game-winner against Harvard and set up the lone score off a corner against the Tribe. Penn must put its recent struggles behind. It is one thing to lose to Temple and Delaware. But if an Ivy League title is to be realized, the Quakers cannot afford a setback at Cornell. "You can't count on past performances," Kelly said. "When you get into the Ivy League schedule, every strength and every weakness is magnified."