This weekend will be a turning point in the Penn women's soccer team's season.
Penn will travel to Princeton on Saturday at 7 p.m. to take on the No. 18 Tigers at Lourie-Love Field.
"It's obviously a crucial game for us at this point in the year," Penn coach Darren Ambrose said. "It's a big game in deciding the direction the league is going to take."
At this point, the undefeated Tigers (9-0) seem to be dictating where the league is heading.
Princeton finished last week with a 1-0 win over Ivy League rival Columbia as one of only two undefeated teams in the country. The University of Texas El Paso is the other.
The Quakers recognize Princeton's ability.
"They are good all over the field," Ambrose said. "They have strong leadership and a lot of depth."
Penn will need to play well all over the field, but especially on the offensive side, if they hope to knock off the Tigers.
"They are well-organized in the back and are hard to break down," Ambrose elaborated. "Their experience is in the back."
Although Princeton's defense is anchored with senior experience, Princeton's offense is led by a core group of underclassmen.
Sophomore midfielder Esmeralda Negron leads the Tigers with 11 points on five goals and one assist.
Fellow sophomore forward Kristina Fontanez is also one of Princeton's leading scorers. She has netted five goals on the year, amassing 10 points.
Freshman forward Emily Behncke, sister of Princeton graduate Matt, who currently plays in the MLS for the Dallas Burn, has scored four goals on the year, including last week's game winner against Columbia.
The Quakers defensive unit will need to shut down Princeton's young attack if they hope to emerge victorious on Saturday.
Similar to Princeton, the Quaker offense is led by underclassmen.
Sophomore second-team all-American Katy Cross is a force to be reckoned with for the Penn offense.
Cross has already scored ten goals on the season and handed out four assists.
Another underclassman, freshman Jenna Linden has emerged as Penn's second leading scorer, with two goals and five assists on the season.
As one of two similar teams taking the field on Saturday in a highly contested Ivy rivalry, Penn will need to distinguish itself from the Tigers.
"We have got to force the issue in the midfield. We are starting to play well. We have got to win the battle in the midfield," Ambrose said. "One crucial thing is that we have got to finish our opportunities. It's unusual for us that we haven't been finishing. We usually capitalize."
If Penn is able to capitalize they will fluster a confident Princeton team.
"The one intangible they have right now is confidence," Ambrose said. "They are 9-0 and have been ranked in the top-20 for the majority of the year, and that is the intangible we don't have at this point.
"I think we are quietly confident and match up well. If we come to play, we have a good chance to win."
