The Penn men's lacrosse team has only managed to compile a record of 5-5 this season, but it is a world away from last year's 6-7 mark. The Quakers are vying for their first winning record since 1988 -- the year of their last Ivy League title.
The recent transformation of the Quakers can be attributed directly to the influx of young talent into the program, but the play and leadership of the five Quakers seniors has been the instrumental factor to their success this season.
Penn coach Brian Voelker, who took over the program two years ago, has recruited players that have made an immediate impact to the program. There are currently four sophomores and one freshman in the starting lineup, and regularly, eight of 12 players on the bench areunderclassmen.
However, the elder statesmen constitute the driving force for the Quakers this season, and their presence is felt throughout every aspect of the game.
Ethan Haire, the Quakers faceoff man, is winning over 60 percent of his draws this season, allowing Penn to have more possessions than its opponents in almost every game.
Pat Connelly is the quiet defensive leader of the Red and Blue who, every game, is given the task of shadowing the opponent's best player.
With the teams that the Quakers play, this often means that Connelly is covering one of the top players in the nation. The senior co-captain's coverage helps to take pressure off his young teammates and allows a defensive unit with four underclassmen to play its game rather than having to worry about one man.
Goalie Ryan Kelly has enabled the Red and Blue to keep the score close and has given them a chance to win every game this season, while David DeLaney provides stability in the midfield, a position that puts up few statistics and often gets little credit.
However, the pulse of the Quakers is found within attackman Will Phillips, who is not only one of the best offensive weapons in the Ivy League, but also the emotional and field leader for Penn.
"He's the guy with the bull's-eye for the other team," Voelker said. "Not only is he a great lacrosse player, but he is a great leader."
Phillips has now scored a point in 28 consecutive games, and he leads the Quakers with 19 goals and 12 assists on the season. However, his most important contributions are intangible.
Phillips is the man whom the offense runs through and who settles the team down on the field if things begin to go awry. He is the director on a team that is being built for the future, but winning in the present.
The tactics and lessons that Phillips and the rest of the seniors are passing down are not only benefiting this year's team, but will be important to a Penn team that next year will likely only have three seniors.
Although the Quakers have already fallen out of Ivy title contention with three losses, they are still striving for their first NCAA Tournament bid in 14 years.
"Ever since I can remember, this is the strongest from top to bottom that the league has ever been," Voelker said. "It's a really strong league but that can help us."
Voelker purposely compiled one of the toughest out-of-conference schedules in lacrosse this season in order to ready the Red and Blue for the tough Ivy League season. Penn's second-year coach also hoped to make an impression on the NCAA selection committee, which has placed a premium on strength of schedule and wins against top five, top 10 and top 30 teams in recent years.
The Quakers' schedule to date is ranked No. 7 in the nation, with each of their final three games of the season coming against top 20 opponents, including No. 3 Maryland, No. 10 Brown and No. 19 Loyola (Md.).
The Quakers are currently ranked eighth in the RPI, but need two more wins to have a realistic shot at the tournament. However, with only two wins in five games against top 20 opponents, the situation seems unlikely.
Whether they make the tournament or not, the seniors have made a lasting impression on their teammates and their performance this season has forged a stepping stone for Penn lacrosse to walk into the future.
