Field Hockey to take on William & Mary

Penn will try to halt three-game losing streak The Penn field hockey team is enthusiastic about its chances of getting back on track when it takes the field tomorrow at Busch Field against William & Mary. After winning their season opener against St. Joseph's, the Quakers (1-3, 0-1 Ivy League) have lost three consecutive games. The three losses came at the hands of Villanova, Dartmouth and Lafayette. All three squads lost to Penn last season and successfully got revenge in this year's rematches. "We're a young team, and we're getting to know each other," Penn midfielder Leah Bills said. "A lot of the girls still haven't played together for a long time, and I think we're all starting to gel. Things are finally coming together." In last year's game against William & Mary, the Quakers defeated the Tribe, 1-0. Departed Penn senior Sue Quinn scored the game's only goal on a corner to defeat William & Mary, which at the time was ranked No. 20 in the nation. If Penn hopes to end its three-game losing streak and defeat the Tribe once again, it will have to improve on its transition game. "[William & Mary] is a very mobile and very athletic team," said Bills, who watched the Quakers defeat the Tribe last year from the vantage of a fan in the Franklin Field stands. "They have a very quick transition game, and we will need a good defensive effort to beat them." In recent practices, Penn coach Val Cloud has stressed to her players the importance of moving the ball up the field quickly and effectively. The Quakers have also spent significant time working on specific strategic situations to use against William & Mary. Tomorrow's game would be the ideal time for the Quakers to pull out of their recent slump because two of their next three games are against Ivy League foes Columbia and Harvard. These matches will weigh heavily in the Ivy League championship race. "Each game we're getting better," Penn freshman midfielder Maureen Flynn said. "It's going to take a little bit of time, that's all."