Princeton hopes to stay above Penn

In sixth place, Princeton is one game above the Quakers in the Ivy standings. To college basketball fans, the idea of playing for pride has become a cliche. The phrase, espoused thousands of times by players every year, usually conjures thoughts about what a player is no longer playing for -- namely NCAA tournament bids and conference championships. For Deana Lewis and Amy Tarr, the senior captains of the Penn women's basketball team, however, the term has taken on a special significance. Tonight, when the pair step onto the Palestra floor to face Princeton, it will be for their last time in a Penn uniform. The two captains' careers, if nothing else, can easily be considered a roller coaster ride -- often with more downs than ups. They endured last year's traumatic three-win season, and it was these two seniors, when Penn coach Julie Soriero needed to pick two players to step up and be the leaders of her young squad, that were chosen as the team's captains. Though it can hardly be said that the two have led their young teammates to contention for the Ivy League title, they have infused the team with the energy and commitment -- the pride -- that it takes to succeed. The team has already doubled its win total from a year before, and if it weren't for a few bounces -- or even calls -- that could have gone Penn's way, they could have tripled it. The leadership that the two have exhibited this season, though it will soon be forgotten in the annals of Penn basketball history, has gone a long way towards establishing the winning brand of basketball that Soriero hopes will be a permanent fixture of the program. "It will be an emotional moment," Soriero said of the game. Standing in the way of that moment, with every intention of spoiling it and claiming sole possession of sixth place in the Ivy League, are Lee Ann Drohan (11.5 points per game) and her Princeton teammates. The Tigers (4-18, 3-7 Ivy League), much like Penn, have been a sports psychologist's nightmare. Last Friday, against the very same Harvard team that held off Penn 70-60 a night later, Princeton endured the most savage beating of its season, losing 79-34. A night later, they pulled off a tremendous upset by beating Dartmouth, 70-63. The same Dartmouth team defeated Penn (6-16, 2-8) at the Palestra, 65-55, a night before. The team's ups and downs, again much like Penn, are largely attributed to their youth, providing Soriero and her squad with an unpredictable x-factor that has them cautious despite Princeton's record. "Going into Dartmouth, they didn't have anybody who averaged double figures," Soriero said. "Against Dartmouth, four players (scored in double figures)." Erratic play caused by youth is a theme that Soriero, who has started two freshmen much of the season, is no stranger to. In her mind, however, it is time for her team to step it up, despite their inexperience. "We have to play beyond our youth," Soriero said. As far as the starting lineup is concerned, Soriero has decided to keep Tarr in the lineup in place of freshman Shelly Fogarty -- an experiment she began toying with last weekend. She insists, however, that the move has nothing to do with the fact that this is Tarr's last home game. "Amy has done a very nice job defensively for us," Soriero said. "And we want to set the tone of our game with our defense."