Ross: last of soccer's bygone era

Tomorrow, Darah Ross will play the last game of her record-breaking career. The story of Darah Ross sounds like one of those "back in my day" stories parents love to tell. The lone senior in a program in the midst of a youth movement, the co-captain has seen and experienced things the "young'uns" have just heard about. Ross is the last Quakers player to have played on the artificial turf of Franklin Field. At that point, the two-year old program did not even have its own locker room. That has all changed within Ross's four-year career. "As much as has changed in our program, she has been a cornerstone of our program," Penn coach Patrick Baker said. "She has been part of a lot of firsts." Tomorrow afternoon at noon, Ross plays her last game in an historic career with the Homecoming game against Princeton (9-5-1, 3-3 Ivy League) at Rhodes Field. "It hasn't really sunk in yet that it's my last game," Ross said. Ross, a forward turned midfielder, has had an impressive career as the biggest scoring threat in Red and Blue history. Ross played in her record-breaking 64th game against Monmouth on Tuesday, and will set a new record with her 64th start tomorrow. Ross owns the Quakers' career record for goals with 25, along with the points career record with 55. The Madison, N.J., native also owns the Penn records for single-season goals (nine in 1994) and points (20 also in 1994) and is the only Quakers player to score a hat trick. Penn junior Lindsey Carson summed it up: "She's always had a knack for scoring goals." Despite moving from her forward position to the midfield this season, Ross has still made her presence known offensively. Even at the midfield position, Ross has maintained her signature style of aggressive, attacking offense. In true Ross form, the attacking midfielder scored the game-winning goal against Brown, after she took the ball at the Bears' sweeper and went right through the helpless defender. Ross has scored five goals this season, most of them at critical points in the season. Four of her five goals have been game-winning goals. One of these key goals came in the come-from-behind victory against Dartmouth, a win that set the tone for the successful season. Penn is 11-5, including 4-2 in the Ivy League, both bests for the sixth-year program. "She's a player who can change the facet of the game on one run," Baker said. "That scoring will be missed next year." Ross' scoring prowess is all the more impressive when her missed spring seasons are taken into consideration. The spring seasons are when most of the individual development takes place, according to Baker. Ross, a two-sport athlete, has missed the spring seasons because of the conflicting lacrosse season. Along with being the biggest scorer in Penn history, the soft-spoken co-captain has been a leader for the young team. Consistent with her quiet demeanor, Ross has lead the team this season by example, and used words only when necessary. "When she speaks, people listen," Baker said. Despite the large tangible and intangible impacts that Ross has had on the Quakers, she remains humble about her role on the team. Ross credited much of the season's success to the improved level of play of the younger players. She predicted this season's success will continue next season for the Quakers because "they are only losing me." Despite the many records and game-winning goals, Ross says this fall as a whole has been the highlight of her career. This season's Quakers are a far cry from the Quakers (4-11, 1-6) of Ross' freshman year. Penn, the traditional Ivy League doormat, became a contender this season, surprising everyone but itself with its success. For half of the players, this has been their first season, and they have not tasted the frustration of past years. This season has seen the Quakers defeat Dartmouth, Cornell and Brown for the first time, all in Ross' fourth game against each. "More than anyone else on the team," Penn junior Kelly Stevens said, "she's had to suffer the most losses." Ross has seen and caused a lot of change in the Penn program over the years. Ross entered the program with 12 other freshman in 1994. The lone senior has been the only one to make it through all four years. Ross has seen the dark days of previous years, but this year's historic season puts those unpleasant memories in the background. A win against the Tigers would be an appropriate way to top it all off. "She's been through so much," Baker said. "I hope she walks off the field [tomorrow] a winner."