Perfect Big Red on tap for W. Lax

Records can be deceiving. At least, that's what fans of the Penn women's lacrosse team are hoping. Tomorrow, the sub-.500 Quakers will take on undefeated No. 14 Cornell at 7 p.m. on Franklin Field. Penn coach Karin Brower has a good deal of respect for the Big Red (4-0, 1-0 Ivy League). "They're definitely a strong team, and they have great speed," Brower said. In its four victories so far this season, Cornell has disposed of some pretty tough competition, including No. 13 Penn State. The Big Red have also beaten Rutgers and Vanderbilt, two teams that were ranked in the top 20 preseason poll. Penn (2-3, 0-1 Ivy League), on the other hand, has come up short three times against top 20 opponents. Even so, the Quakers aren't hanging their heads. "The bottom line is we need to have hard, intense practices," Brower said. "We need to hold each other accountable for things." To have a shot against the Big Red, the Quakers must stop Cornell's fierce offensive threesome of midfielder Jaimee Reynolds and attackers Lori Wohlschlegel and Ginny Miles. The three players combined for 120 goals and 48 assists last season. Wohlschlegel's 62 points on 39 goals and 23 assists was a Cornell school-record. And this season, the three juniors are picking up right where they left off. In a 15-6 massacre of Rutgers, Reynolds scored six goals, while Miles added four. And in leading her team to a 12-5 victory over Columbia, Wohlschlegel had a hat trick. To shut down Cornell's offensive attack, the Quakers will first try to break down the speedy Cornell midfield. This task is assigned to junior Traci Marabella and sophomores Whitney Horton, Crissy Book and Kate Murray. "Doubling in the midfield [will be important] because Cornell is quick with transition," Murray said. "[We have to] hold the doubles and run our offense better." Keeping up with Cornell's midfield should generate turnovers and give attackers Jenny Hartman and Jayme Munnelly several scoring opportunities. Munnelly is coming off her best game of the season. Last Tuesday, the Setauket, N.Y., native led her team with six points on two goals and four assists. "For me to play well, I have to just go out there and hustle," Munnelly said. "I'm more of a scrappy player than graceful, so my best performances come when I'm just kind of mad, really." Penn's defense, led by senior co-captain Amy Weinstein, must also be tough in the passing lanes to prevent Cornell from putting too many points on the scoreboard. "I think the intensity on defense has definitely gotten better," Weinstein said. "We just need to be more prepared for certain plays, and see the whole field and be able to help from far away." And, as is the case for all teams, the Quakers must feed off each other's energy levels. "We're really trying to work together more as a team," Munnelly said. "We really want to step up the intensity so we can play an entire game, not just an overtime or a half like we have been." By picking up their intensity on the field, the Quakers just might be able to walk away with their first victory over a ranked opponent this season.

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