Following a four game losing streak, the Penn softball team is not going to be nice.
"We figured out that we have to get an attitude towards the other team," sophomore outfielder Zahya Hantz said.
"We're playing too nicely."
The whole season has been one of streaks for Penn.
Coming off a promising spring vacation trip to the Rebel Spring Games in Florida, the Quakers returned to establish a 3-1-1 record in five games, defeating the likes of Delaware and Lafayette.
In fact, the Red and Blue lit up the Leopards' pitching staff for 11 runs in two games.
However, the Quakers (6-13-1) have dropped four straight since that weekend in doubleheaders against Fordham and Lehigh.
Penn scored just eight runs total in those four games.
"It's hard to come back after games like that," Hantz said.
The team's first attitude check will come against Princeton on Saturday. This will be both teams' first Ivy League game of the spring.
The Tigers are 8-9 this season, taking games from teams such as Tennessee, Boston University and George Mason so far this spring.
While Princeton has slipped this season to squads like Middle Tennessee State and Nicholls State, the Tigers are already being recognized with individual accolades.
Three weeks into the season, sophomore Melissa Finley was named Ivy League Player of the Week. She shut out Monmouth from the mound, and batted .412 with seven hits and three RBIs in three games for the Tigers.
"We're not really worried about the other teams right now, we're just worried about ourselves," Hantz said. "We're a good team so if we put heart into our game we'll do really well."
Indelibly scarred into the hearts and minds of Penn players is last year's doubleheader against the Tigers. Princeton took the day with scores of 4-2 and 2-0 at Warren Field -- robbing the Red and Blue of a shot at the championship.
While top quality defense and pitching has been fairly consistent for the Quakers this season, the main aspect of their game that has fluctuated is their offense.
Players and coaches alike believe that the answer lies in the psyche, not in the players' swinging form.
"We hit well in practice, and I think it's frustrating when you come out and you don't hit well in games," Hantz said. "We have to come out and play with attitude and heart, and our batting will come around."
There is little discrepancy between the records of Princeton and Penn so far this season, so the Quakers hope to see the squad that shut down Delaware, and not the team that was just barely defeated by Fordham.
"Each of us just has to do our responsibility for the team," Hantz said.
"When we come out focused, we play well, and that is exactly what we need to do."
