W. Soccer begins Ivy League season

For almost any player on the collegiate level, the opening game of the regular season is surrounded by a lot of anticipation. The anticipation becomes even greater when that opening game is played within the home field's friendly confines and in front of the home crowd. And when that home opener is the player's first, like it will be this weekend for the nine freshmen on the Penn women's soccer team, the opening day anticipation -- combined with the realization that they are finally playing for a college team -- brings the match to a whole new plane. "That's what I've been going for and dreaming about since I began playing soccer -- to play at a Division I college," said freshman forward Heidi Nichols, who hails from Portland, Ore. "I'm really excited for it. I just hope I can get in and make some sort of a difference in the game." Nichols already proved that she can make a difference Wednesday in Penn's 2-2 tie with Monmouth, when she scored a 15-foot shot late in the first half to give the Quakers a 2-1 lead. She is one of the new threats with whom Ivy powerhouse Dartmouth will have to contend with when the Big Green tries to spoil Penn's opening day festivities at Rhodes Field Saturday at noon. The 10th new addition to the Quakers' roster, first-year head coach Andy Nelson, has become a threat to other teams, too, according to co-captain Deane Kocivar-Norbury. "Having a new eye coming in and watching us play will definitely help us," she said. "Not only individually, but as a team." Along with Nelson's new eye comes a new strategy and a new look to the Penn defense: a flat four set up that he hopes will force opponents to keep the ball on the wings rather than driving it through the dangerous middle of the field. But as the tie with Monmouth, in which Penn clearly dominated, indicates, the new defensive scheme still has some kinks that need to be worked out. Despite this, Penn co-captain and starting defender Jennifer Danielson said that the Quakers' back line is ready to take on the 1998 Ivy champs from Hanover, N.H. "The four in the back are getting used to playing [the flat four defense] together," she said. "I think the system is working because our opponents have to go wide rather than being able to set up in front of the goal." This weekend will mark Danielson's fourth season opener. The senior said that she is excited for the game and has been looking forward to the match with the Big Green for a while. "There's certainly games you're looking forward to when you're looking at your schedule before the season starts, and this was one of them" she said. "Dartmouth is always a big game. It'd be a good start to the season to beat them." To get its first Ivy win of the season this weekend, Nelson said Penn will have to become more aggressive on both sides of the field, as well as capitalize on its scoring chances against the formidable Dartmouth defense. Also, the Quakers' players will have to keep from getting themselves too caught up in the atmosphere and anticipation of their home opener. "It's the freshmen's first game, so they haven't really felt what a home opener is like," Danielson said. "Everyone who's been there knows it's big."