The Penn volleyball team's next four opponents will be nothing like its last four.
This weekend, the Quakers will host the Sheraton-Shula's Volleyball Invitational at the Palestra, where they will face considerably weaker competition, especially compared to their first four opponents of the season.
The lower-quality opponents that Penn will face today and tomorrow gives coach Kerry Major a chance to work more players into the lineup.
"My goals this weekend are to solidify a starting lineup, to get everyone some playing time, to decide on a system and to come to a conclusion about a setter," Major said.
Penn's first match of the weekend is against Loyola (Md.) today at 3 p.m.
The Greyhounds should not present much of a problem to the Quakers, as Loyola has opened the season with a 1-6 record against weak competition.
Penn's second match today will be against Robert Morris at 8 p.m. The two teams have never met before, but Penn is the favorite against this very young squad.
Tomorrow, the Quakers will face Northeastern at 2 p.m. The Huskies will be carrying some momentum into the weekend, having won four straight matches to put their record at 5-3 for the season.
The Huskies play in the America East Conference along with Drexel, which Penn will face in tomorrow's nightcap. The Quakers' Market Street rivals will be looking to avenge their two losses to Penn last year.
Penn's main goals for the weekend will be to change some things from Wednesday night's straight-game loss to Temple.
"We had a lot of problems just talking in general [against Temple]," Penn senior outside hitter Stephanie Horan said. "The whole court was quiet, we didn't feel like we were a presence out there and I think we're going to change that this weekend.
"We want the other teams, the fans and everybody to know that we're here, this is our gym and we're going to take the games."
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