The Penn women's soccer team is waiting for the moment when everything clicks.
Up to this point, the Quakers have been inconsistent, mixing flashes of brilliance with uninspiring stretches.
While the team's current 2-4-1 record is proof that Penn has not been outstanding, three of its losses have come against top 25 opponents, illustrating that the Quakers have battled tough competition.
This past weekend, the Penn defense dominated in a 1-0 victory over Harvard in the Quakers' first Ivy League contest of the season. The defense held an aggressive Crimson team scoreless, while allowing only three shots on goal during the second half.
Now, it is the Penn offense's turn to step up, as the Quakers prepare to battle crosstown rival La Salle today.
"The last pass is really what's missing right now," Penn coach Darren Ambrose said. "It's just a matter of time until we break it open."
The offense has already proven it can score in bunches, evident in the team's 3-0 victory over Vanderbilt on Sept. 10.
However, since that game, the Penn attack has gone dormant, managing only three goals in four games.
"We've got to get more people involved," Ambrose said. "We need to take more care around the goal."
Perhaps last year La Salle would have been the perfect team to boost the Quakers' confidence. The Explorers struggled to a 3-13-1 campaign, allowing an average of two goals per game.
Things are different this year, however. La Salle head coach Paul Royal, in his second year at the helm, has quickly turned around his team's fortunes. The Explorers boast a 5-1-2 record entering today's contest and are unbeaten (5-0-1) over their last six games.
Ambrose believes that there is something more to La Salle's success than just talent and good coaching. It is their attitude.
"They have a confidence that cannot be coached," he said.
Ambrose is quite familiar with La Salle's program, not only because of its proximity, but also because he and Royal are friends. However, once the whistle blows, there will be no warm feelings from across the sideline.
"It'll be a very competitive game," Ambrose said. "Whenever we step out on the field against a Philadelphia team,, it is always a battle."
And perhaps this will be the game where everything comes together. Ambrose believes his team is close to, saying, "We're feeling pretty good about ourselves right now."
