W. Soccer looks to silence Lions' roar

Under the cool autumn sun yesterday, Penn women's soccer coach Patrick Baker trotted his team out to the practice field for a typically rousing training session. Yesterday, however, there seemed to be a certain air of urgency among the Quakers, as they ran onto balls, kicked and shot with renewed vigor. "It was intense today," Baker said. "Nothing went unnoticed, right on down to the smallest details." The practice comes in preparation for the Quakers' third Ivy League match of the season, versus the Columbia Lions (8-1, 1-1 Ivy League) at 4 p.m. tomorrow at Rhodes Field. Working on its weakness to the counter-attack, through which American netted two goals in Wednesday's game, Penn (2-6-1, 0-2) also focused on the attack. Responding to Baker's call, several of the players began to produce impressive shots, while their teammates cheered their efforts. Keepers Amy Jodoin and Lauren Dickie were well tested in the exercise. Columbia, on the other hand, has had few problems finding the net and keeping the ball out of its own. The Lions, while fielding a weaker non-league schedule, defeated Cornell last week for their first win ever over the Big Red and helped sophomore Tosh Forde earn Ivy League Player of the Week honors. "We've had a large influx of freshmen who are playing with a lot of spirit and enthusiasm," Columbia coach Kevin McCarthy said. The Lions, an extremely youthful squad with six starting freshmen and no starting seniors, have started the season extremely well, posting an 8-1 record thus far. The Quakers are eager to make that 8-2. Wednesday's loss, though difficult to accept, was hardly deserved. Outshooting American by a 4-1 ratio, the Eagles scored randomly and not without their share of luck. "We've got too many talented players to continue going in the direction we're going," Baker said. The Quakers have beaten Columbia in their last two meetings, and last year's 1-0 success in New York was Penn's first away win in the Ivy League -- ever. For Saturday's game, Lions coach McCarthy was hardly overly optimistic. "They've handled us comfortably in the past two seasons," McCarthy said. "Penn is always well prepared and plays a good level of soccer. Their players always show up tactically and emotionally ready to play. We're expecting this to be one of the toughest matches of the season for us." Baker was equally candid. "It's going to be a dogfight. They're playing with a lot of confidence," Baker said. "We don't have a lot of confidence because we haven't gotten the results. We're at the midway point of the season, we're dissatisfied, and we're ready from here on in to claw and fight our way to a win." Last year, the Lions finished at the bottom of the Ivy League with a 1-6 record. "We will represent ourselves well," McCarthy said. "We're not contending to win the league, so we just want to show up and play well." After starting for the first time against American, the freshmen Callaghan twins will once again take the field in the starting lineup. "The Callaghans were a huge lift Wednesday," Baker said. "But just having them out there isn't going to be the difference. We've got to get used to them, and they've got to get used to us." Tomorrow's matchup will also feature as a reunion of sorts, as Philadelphia native Diana Baraniewicz comes home to display her skill in the Lions defense. Columbia keeper Alison Ahern also rejoins Penn keeper Amy Jodoin on the playing field (although from the opposing side), reminiscent of their time together on the Massachusetts state team, when Ahern played as Jodoin's backup. Baker hopes that practice will make perfect tomorrow.