Seventeen minutes into last night's field hockey match, Penn senior All-American Liz Lorelli decided that, with six unsuccessful penalty corners against the visiting Rutgers squad, she had reached her limit. She tipped in a shot from junior Kristen Gray on the half's seventh corner attempt, finally putting the Quakers on the board.
After that, the team never looked back.
The Quakers (4-3, 1-1 Ivy) charged forward -- garnering a 3-0 win, the season's first home shutout for the Red and Blue, and moving one game over .500.
Eight minutes after Lorelli's jump-start, senior tri-captain Sara Shelley lifted the team to a 2-0 lead with an unassisted shot off the Red and Blue's eighth penalty corner of the half.
Junior Cara Calahan completed the Quakers' three-goal win when she found an opening 20 minutes into the second half. Calahan's goal was also initiated by a penalty corner, the fourth of the second half.
Still, the Quakers' corner performance was "just average," according to Penn coach Val Cloud.
Such drive and motivation defines the attitude of the 2004 squad, which continues to work toward improvement even after last night's win.
"I really felt like we were having fun out there," Calahan said. "There was no frustration whatsoever. ... We were moving the ball well and passing well. Everything seemed to be coming together."
The Quakers' recent offensive success rests largely on Calahan and Lorelli, who work together to create a powerful scoring threat. The duo functions as part of a new 2-4-3-1 formation.
Cara and I "have to be aware of each other," Lorelli said. "As time goes on we are working better and better together."
"Liz and I try to work off each other as much as possible. ... I might cut through and she'll cut inside," Calahan said.
With each overlap and cut, the combination's dynamics are improving. Cloud said that she likes the new system, and that her players "are starting to believe in it. ... I guess because they are finding some success."
The team's defense also played a key role in the win, holding Rutgers to a season-low four shots.
"After halftime we decided that they weren't going to get a goal. They weren't good enough to score on us," Penn senior defender Bernice Raveche said.
"I'm always glad when the stats show how well the defense has played," Lorelli said. "They deserved [a shutout]."
With another win behind it, the team eagerly anticipates Sunday's road matchup against Delaware.
"Delaware is an outstanding team ... that'll be a challenge," Cloud said.
