The Penn field hockey team opens a four-game homestand tonight against the crosstown rival Temple Owls.
The Quakers look to rebound from a pair of disappointing results on the road last week.
On the heels of two runaway victories at Franklin Field, Penn dropped successive decisions at Villanova and Ivy League rival Dartmouth.
Both losses were marked by costly lapses. The Quakers were brilliant at times, yet ultimately doomed by a handful of defensive blunders.
On the bright side for the Quakers, their much-maligned offense has apparently come together. In the last four games, the Penn attack has tallied 14 goals, an average of 3.5 a game. A vast improvement over the last season's mark of 1.4 a game.
Things have been looking good on North Broad Street. The Owls are coming off a 2-1 win at Virginia Commonwealth - their fourth in a row - and recently upset No. 14 Delaware.
Midfielder Melissa DeCesaris has led the way for the Cherry and White, notching a team-high six goals. The junior sets the tone on offense, relentlessly putting the ball on net. Her 37 shots are nearly twice the next closest total.
DeCesaris' three tallies out of the midfield last week -- including the Golden Goal to beat the Blue Hens -- were enough to earn her Atlantic 10 Player of the Week honors.
Freshman Morgan Faria has been a pleasant surprise for coach Lauren Fuchs. A starter in all eleven games, Faria has been an offensive presence out of the back. The defender has four goals on 19 shots.
Midfielders Haley Dervinis and Rachel Kasper have also contributed to Temple's success. After starting every game for the Owls in 2001 and leading the team in assists with eight, Dervinis has reaffirmed her place as the team's key distributor. Kasper has also been a staple in the middle, starting every game.
A pair of sophomore goalkeepers platoon in net for the Owls. Erin Conroy and Mary Zakrewski have proven an effective tandem for the Owls. While Conroy has gotten several more opportunities to start over her classmate, Zakrewski has recorded a 2-1 record with a impressive 1.66 goals against average.
Both of Penn's wins this season have come against Atlantic 10 opponents. The Quakers topped West Chester, 5-0, on Sept 25. and St. Joseph's, 4-0, on Sept. 27.
Penn trails the all-time series against the North Philadelphia school, winning only seven times in 29 tries. The Owls have taken the last three.
Game time is 7 p.m.
