W. Soccer will not look back at 1996

At 5-8-1, the 1996 Penn women's soccer season was a disaster the squad is trying to erase from its mind. Coach Patrick Baker and the Penn women's soccer team have been looking forward to this weekend ever since last year's miserable season. This weekend's opening games, including today's match at 5 p.m. against Loyola (Md.) at the Maryland Tournament, offer the Quakers their long-awaited fresh start. "All of us couldn't wait to end last year so we could start over," Baker said. "Last year was the longest season in my career." A year ago, Penn was primed and ready to charge into the season after chalking up the most successful season in Penn women's soccer history with an 8-6-2 record in 1995. But what began as a year of opportunity quickly became a year of disappointment. Andrea and Jill Callaghan, the highly touted freshman recruits of a year ago, landed in the hospital with a muscle-enzyme deficiency and were lost for the first half of the season. It went from bad to worse. By the time Princeton ended the Quakers' season with a loss, the Red and Blue had fallen to 5-10-2 overall, 1-6 in the Ivies. Sophomore goalkeeper Annie Kluetmeier summed it up in four words. "Last year was frustrating," she said. Kluetmeier will be starting her first collegiate game this weekend after missing all of last season while recovering from elbow surgery. Penn will be carrying four goalkeepers this season, a position where the squad has been riddled with injuries over the past two years. In addition to Kluetmeier, sophomore Lauren Dickie spent last season in a knee brace after surgery, and freshman Danielle Cantor has been hampered by an ankle injury. Amy Jodoin, who was able to avoid injury, started every game last season and will also be competing for the starting job this season. When all four goalkeepers are healthy, it will be interesting to see which one will claim the starting role. "We think Danielle can make a real push at No. 1 when she gets healthy," Baker said. The Callaghan twins will start at the two forward positions, which should give the team a big lift on the offensive end of the field. "It'll be nice to have the Callaghans at the beginning of the season instead of the middle of October," Baker said. Co-captain Darah Ross, the lone senior on the Quakers' squad, anchors midfield. Joining Ross in the center midfield will be freshman Kelli Toland. Juniors Kelly Stevens and co-captain Tina Cooper will start on the wings at the outside midfield positions. Despite the presence of Ross' experience, the midfield has more question marks surrounding it than any other position. "The midfield is where we have our most concern but also has the most options," Baker said. The defensive effort will be led by sophomore sweeper Deane Kocivar-Norbury. The rest of the defense will be made up of junior stopper Jacky Flood, sophomore Jenny Danielson and freshman Shannon Porter. Three players, Kluetmeier, Porter and Toland, will be making their collegiate debut today. The inexperience of the Quakers could become an obvious weakness, especially in the early part of the season. "Our youthfulness will result in some inconsistencies in our play," Baker said. The inevitability of mistakes due to the inexperience of the team makes quick recoveries from these mental lapses critical to Penn's success this weekend. "We need to keep our composure, even if we give up a goal," Cooper said. While the Quakers may be able to recover from a mistake or two against Loyola, they can't afford that luxury against the nationally ranked Maryland team. Maryland is the first of four nationally ranked teams that Penn will meet during the "most challenging schedule in Penn women's soccer history," according to Baker. Joining Maryland are the nation's top team, North Carolina, sixth-ranked Duke and eighth-ranked Harvard. Last year's 1-6 Ivy League record was an obvious letdown that the Quakers are determined to rid themselves of. In a league where home field advantage gives an especially critical edge to the hosts, Penn has four of their seven conference games at the friendly confines of Rhodes Field. Armed with the favorable conference schedule, Baker's goal for this season is to be in the top half of the Ivy League. "I would have to say [our strength] is our renewed commitment to do well," Baker said. Only when this commitment translates itself into wins will the disappointment of last year be forgotten.