W. Hoops intent on bringing home title

With last night's 71-57 victory over Princeton at Jadwin Gymnasium, the Penn women's basketball team has reached another milestone in a season that is shaping up as one to remember. For the first time, the Quakers have emerged unscathed from the first half of their Ancient Eight schedule. The Red and Blue now boast a perfect 7-0 record in Ivy League play, with five of those seven wins coming on the road. Also, the Quakers' unblemished Ivy record has contributed to extending their winning streak to 14 games, the longest unbeaten stretch in Penn's history. As the accolades continue to pile up for the Red and Blue, the team is trying not to lose sight of its most desired goal -- cutting down the nets for the first time as Ancient Eight champions. "We haven't won the title yet and never have," coach Kelly Greenberg said. "More important than the streak and our record is winning the Ivy." * The Quakers might not be so close to going to the dance if it weren't for the improved play of senior guard Erin Ladley of late. When the Red and Blue have been tested recently, Ladley always has been up to the task of answering the challenge. Against Yale earlier this month, the senior guard scored seven points in overtime to lift the Red and Blue over the Elis. Ladley poured in 20 for the game and also dished out 9 assists en route to the Quakers 92-80 victory. On the following night, Ladley led the Quakers with 22 points, including a clutch three-pointer that brought the Red and Blue to within one with 2:45 left en route to their 77-72 victory over Brown. Even when Ladley's shot isn't falling from the field, she usually takes advantage of her opportunities at the charity stripe. Last Friday against Harvard, the senior guard shot a subpar 3-10 from the field and was 1-5 from beyond the arc. But Ladley sank 7-of-8 free throws in the last 1:48 and was 11-12 for the game from the line, again finding a way to help put Penn over the top as the Quakers dropped the Crimson, 65-51. Ladley rose to the occasion once again in another overtime affair Saturday night versus Dartmouth. She tallied six points from the foul line in the extra period, including four in the final 20 seconds, to seal the 82-75 win for the Quakers. When the Red and Blue have their backs up against the wall, Ladley has a knack for taking control. "She really stepped in to being a leader and has led us on this winning streak," Penn junior forward Julie Epton said. "Without her, Idon't know if we could have done it." * While the Quakers keep on rolling and continue racking up wins, senior forward Diana Caramanico is quietly making a push for individual honors as she creeps closer to becoming the career Ivy League scoring leader. Harvard's Allison Feaster currently holds the record, as she totalled an impressive 2,312 points from 1994 to 1998. Caramanico has tallied 2,246 points up to this point in her illustrious Quaker career, needing only 67 points in her final seven games to eclipse the former Crimson's record. With two-time Ivy League Player of the Year Caramanico averaging 21.9 points per game this season, it seems as if Feaster's record is in danger of being usurped by Penn's star forward. Still, being known as the Ancient Eight's most prolific scorer will be meaningless to the humble Caramanico if the Red and Blue fail to win the Ivy League in her final season. "As long as we're winning, that's all that matters," Caramanico said.

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