After defeating Dartmouth, 2-1, on Saturday, the Penn field hockey team is relishing its first record above .500 record since 1998.
"We enjoy being on the winning side of things," Penn coach Val Cloud said after last weekend's game.
But now the Quakers (5-4, 2-1 Ivy) face the task of trying to keep it that way against Philadelphia Six rival Drexel tonight at Franklin Field.
"Drexel should be a great game," Cloud said. "Our team is playing really well now, so we can come out there fully confident."
A win against the Dragons (4-7) would be the fourth consecutive victory for the Red and Blue, a streak that no current member of the roster has ever witnessed in their years at Penn.
"We haven't been on the winning side of things in a while because the beginning of our season is usually a tough schedule of teams," Cloud said.
With four Ivy games remaining on the schedule, the Quakers know that non-conference games like Drexel are just as important to keep their momentum going against conference foes.
"We go into every game with the same mentality," sophomore forward Cara Calahan said. "Whether it's an Ivy opponent or not. We treat every game the same."
Calahan will have many more eyes upon her tonight after scoring the game-winning goal against Dartmouth and the game-tying goal against Villanova last Wednesday. The Doylestown, Pa., native earned Ivy League Player of the Week honors for her offensive heroics.
With forward Jackie Lange out for the season after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament, Calahan has stepped up her own game as the replacement starter. She is currently second on the team in scoring behind junior Liz Lorelli with four goals and one assist.
"We're all trying to do our best, it's been a hard spot to replace," Calahan said. "We're getting it done, with Lorelli's help."
The Quakers have also been getting it done on the defensive side of the ball, with freshman goalkeeper Elizabeth Schlossberg earning her first complete game victory against Dartmouth.
"Elizabeth definitely did very well, even though our defense didn't allow her to see a whole lot of action," Cloud said. "They only allowed three shots and three penalty corners the whole game."
The Quakers have started to capitalize off their own penalty corners, scoring both goals against Dartmouth on corner chances.
Penn had scored off of only two corners prior to last week.
"We've been focusing on them extra," Cloud said.
The Quakers are currently undefeated against their local rivals in the Philadelphia Six, having defeated Saint Joseph's, La Salle and Villanova. Penn will face its final Philly Six opponent, Temple, next week.
