Penn looks to opener to answer questions

Quakers first test this season will be an 0-2 St. Joseph's squad A battle of the question marks is about to ensue as the Penn field hockey team makes its season pemiere versus St. Joseph's tonight. Neither team knows what to expect of the other when they step on to Franklin Field at 7 p.m. The Quakers graduated seven starters last year, leaving only eight letterwinners behind to fill their shoes. But the Hawks (0-2) lost some valuable team members of their own. Gone is the entire starting midfield, considered to be the strength of last season's squad. In addition, last year's coach went with them, while Chris Speer has taken the helm. So does anyone know what to expect? "I think that we're expecting that they're not going to be nearly the team they were last year," Penn coach Val Cloud said. And what a team that was. The Hawks won the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament last season. But even if the 1996 St. Joe's squad does bear a very similar resemblance to 1995 St. Joe's team, there's still good news for the Quakers. Penn defeated the Hawks, 2-1, in last year's matchup. "They're a totally different team," Cloud said, "but we can't compare. We're a totally different team as well, compared to when we played them last year." As usual St. Joe's faces the Quakers with an annual early-season advantage -- real game experience. The Hawks already played two games this past weekend in the Husky Classic, where they lost to host Connecticut and Radford. Although St. Joe's incurred two losses, any experience is a good thing to have -- especially against a team that has only scrimmaged. "You never know what to expect from your team when you step on the field and it's the real thing," Cloud said. "The advantage they have is they've already played two games. "Our scrimmage went really well. We found out things we wanted to find out. And I think we have better combinations on the field now that make us click better." What is set for the Quakers heading into tonight's game? Well, the lineup, for one. Penn junior captain Michele Canuso-Bedesem will start at sweeper. The halfback positions will be filled by senior captain Curran Kelly and sophomores Amy Johnson and Audrey Heinel. Junior Erica Childs and freshmen Maureen Flynn and Leah Bills will head up the midfield. Juniors Tara Childs, Amy Meehan and Emily Hansel will man the forward positions. And sophomore Sarah Dunn will fulfill her duty in the goal. "We're all looking forward to the game," Cloud said. "We've been practicing hard for two weeks, a lot of those days double sessions. So we're ready to play. You have to start somewhere." Exactly where, is the question.