Princeton upset Penn in football and surprisingly captured the Ivy League football title. Princeton upset Penn in men's basketball and surprisingly captured the Ivy League tournament berth. Today the Penn women's lacrosse team is looking to turn the tables when it takes on the Tigers, the Ivy League's top team. The Quakers (3-3, 2-1 Ivy League) will certainly have their hands full. Princeton, ranked No. 2 in the nation, has already defeated league powerhouse Harvard and defending Ivy champions Dartmouth this season. With those two strong wins, the Tigers have moved to the top of the conference standings and are clearly the team to beat with only five games left in the season. Princeton's strength revolves around its size. The Tigers have one of the biggest and strongest teams in the Ivies. In the clash between the Princeton and Dartmouth, the Tigers exploited their size advantage to overcome the Big Green's extraordinary team speed. The Tigers have more than just size, however. "Princeton's got good endurance, good stickwork and good shooting," Quakers assistant coach Christina Vitale said. "I think they're mentally tough, too." Penn will try and counter Princeton's size advantages by focusing on the fundamentals. The team has concentrated in practice this week on refining their basic skills. In particular, the Quakers worked on defensive footwork, moving the goalie and, most importantly, patience. In addition, Vitale stresses the importance of being mentally prepared for a team like Princeton. "We have to get up mentally for the game," Vitale said. "They're going to come out tough, almost cocky. We've got to be prepared for that." It is also important that the Quakers do not reflect on this past weekend's loss to Dartmouth. By their own admission, the Quakers lacked the mental toughness and desire that was necessary in last Saturday's 10-7 loss to Dartmouth. Vitale stressed the importance of focusing on the task at hand rather then dwelling on the Dartmouth loss. Perhaps Penn will have one aspect in their favor. Although the game is on the road for Penn, which would seem to be a big advantage for the Tigers, that may not be the case. "It could definitely be an advantage for us." Vitale said. "Sometimes they feel the pressure when they play at home." After the Princeton game, the Quakers can look forward to an easier stretch in their schedule. After going up against two top 10 teams in Dartmouth and Princeton, Penn's home game this weekend against Brown will be a welcome change. Although the Bears are a tough team, they are not at the level of the Big Green or the Tigers. But before Penn can get to the Bears, there is the little matter of Princeton. The Quakers know that if they can stick to the fundamentals and maintain their confidence then they have a chance at upsetting Princeton -- and getting some revenge on behalf of the Penn football and men's basketball teams.
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