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Junior defender Colleen Connors, the Penn field hockey team's Most Improved Player last season, will try to help shut down Lafayette on Franklin Field tonight.[Will Burhop/DP File Photo]

Following a week of national tragedy and canceled athletic events, the Penn field hockey team's season resumes tonight when Lafayette comes to Franklin Field.

While obviously affected, the Quakers (0-2) will come back from a somber week-long hiatus wishing to focus once again on their sport.

"We're never going to forget it," Penn coach Val Cloud said. "I think it's good for the kids to have two hours a day [in practice] where they're not focused on it."

Due to the continuing routine of these healing practices, the Quakers are also not worried about any rust following the long layoff.

"It gave us an opportunity to work on things we learned we had to work on," junior midfielder Kylee Jakobowski said.

Along with a period of mental recovery, physical healing also came with the time off.

"A couple of ailing kids who would have kept playing [while hurt] got a couple more days off to recuperate," Cloud said.

Penn's focus will have to return quickly as Lafayette enters with a 3-1 record, including wins over Monmouth, Ursinus and La Salle.

The Leopards are led by junior Beth Gulotta, who has four goals on 10 shots, and sophomore Jennifer Stone, who has recorded three goals and eight points already in the young season.

"They've always got a couple who can put it in the goal," Cloud said. "We'll clue the defense in as to who the big scorers are and work to take their space away."

The Quakers' defensive leader already had picked up on that plan.

"We'll use our normal strategy, but give [Gulotta and Stone] a little more attention than normal," Penn senior co-captain Monique Horshaw said. "If we play our game they won't be too much trouble."

The Quakers are looking to resume their season with a win against their traditional rivals, with whom they have a 13-8-6 all-time record.

Despite Lafayette's superior record, most of Quakers think that they will have the upper-hand. Their confidence stems from last year's 3-1 victory at Lafayette, in which current senior co-captain Nikki Battiste scored twice.

"I'm excited," Battiste said. "There should be a lot of offensive chances... a fun game to play."

"We beat them last year on the road," Jakobowski said. "And this is one of the games we need to win, we expect to win."

With the Ivy League schedule fast approaching -- Penn opens the Ancient Eight season at Franklin Field against Dartmouth on Sept. 29 -- the Quakers believe a win is particularly vital.

"We need the win under our belt for the confidence," Battiste said. "We should win this game."

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