W. Soccer well-prepared for Bucknell

Penn coach Patrick Baker calls the two teams 'similar on paper,' but Penn has not beaten the Patriot League squad since 1992. Coach Patrick Baker's theory of scheduling states that the more top-level teams Penn's women's soccer team plays, the more prepared the Quakers will be for their peer competition. The first test for Baker's theory comes tonight at 7 p.m. in Lewisburg, Pa., when the Red and Blue (1-1) take on Bucknell (4-1). Last Sunday, Penn played No. 10 Maryland, an ACC powerhouse, losing only 2-0. Despite the loss, Baker and his team hope that the experience of playing a team of such high caliber will prepare them for more evenly matched opponents. According to senior co-captain Darah Ross, playing against the speed and skill of Maryland has given the Quakers confidence for when they meet Bucknell. "It'll be interesting tomorrow," Baker said yesterday. "Bucknell is a team that is similar to us on paper." Both teams have starting lineups abounding in youth. The starters for Penn include two freshmen and five sophomores. The Bison send out five sophomores with one freshman. Last year against Bucknell, the Quakers played through regulation and overtime to a 2-2 tie. Penn came back from an early 2-0 deficit to force overtime and the eventual tie. This year, Bucknell, under first-year coach Cissy Sassaman-Findlay, has scored seven of its 10 goals in the first half. Penn's defense will need to be focused from the outset to avoid repeating last year's early deficit. Strong defense is something Baker has been emphasizing throughout preseason and first two regular season games. So far the extra attention has paid off. The team chalked up a shutout against Loyola (Md.) and held Maryland to two goals. Bucknell's strongest scoring threat is sophomore defender Katie McElligot. According to Baker, several of the Bison's goals have come off of the head of McElligot and off of set plays such as cornerkicks and free kicks. McElligot's heading prowess may exploit a weakness of Penn's. "We were not strong in our aerial game," Baker said, referring to last weekend. The offense is also off to a good start, according to Baker. Despite only scoring one goal against Loyola, the Quakers are not overly concerned. "As long as we continue to create the chances, I have confidence that we'll score," Baker said. Both sophomore defender Jenny Danielson, and junior defender Jacky Flood echoed Baker's confidence. "We have the ability to create some good offensive opportunities," Danielson said. Bucknell returns to its home field after two road games over the weekend. The Bison defeated Holy Cross, 3-2, on Saturday, but lost to Vermont, 4-0, on Sunday. The Quakers have not beaten Bucknell since 1992. No one, including Baker, who came to Penn in 1994, was around to see that game. If the Quakers end the drought with a win against the Bison, it may show the value of playing top-level competition like Maryland early in the season.