F. Hockey aims to duplicate last year's shocker

A year ago, the Penn field hockey team shocked the Villanova Wildcats by scoring three straight goals in the second half to earn a 3-2 comeback victory.

The Quakers hope to deliver a similar blow this year when they face off against their intracity rivals tonight at Villanova Stadium.

Penn (3-5, 1-1 Ivy) and No. 16 Villanova (8-3) have a history of competitive games. In each of their last six contests, the game came down to just one goal, with Villanova walking away with the win four times. Overall, the Quakers hold a 10-8-1 record against the Wildcats.

Tonight, Penn will have to stop a Villanova offense that has averaged over four goals per game, led by senior Megan Foster and sophomore Allison Boris, with 18 and 13 goals, respectively.

This firepower will face a defense that gave up the fewest points and shots per game in the Ivy League last season.

Goalie Liz Schlossberg - a first-team All-Ivy selection the past two seasons - is excited for the challenge.

"It's always a really big game, always really intense," Schlossberg said. "The key is mental. We have all the talents we need to win."

Each of the Wildcats' top forwards has outscored the entire Penn team, which has managed just eight goals through six games.

Villanova's top scorer, Megan Foster, has already accrued 18 scores.

But head coach Val Cloud isn't concerned about the Quakers' anemic offense.

"We've been improving," Cloud said. "Obviously, we would like to score more, but we only need to score one more than the opponent." Schlossberg agreed, saying that the Penn offense has done a very good job of keeping a sustained attack.

The Quakers have worked hard on different offensive drills during every practice. Yet despite their trouble scoring, assistant coach Jeremy Cook stressed that the Red and Blue does not need to change its strategy to upset the top-20 team.

"We need to do what we do best: pass the ball around, be patient, and wait for opportunities," Cook said.

Penn is hoping to ride the momentum of its dramatic win over Rutgers on Sunday, when junior Meghan Rose scored 20 seconds into overtime. Schlossberg called that victory "the start of our second season."

The coaches were very impressed with the way the Quakers dominated the game. Most importantly, they outshot Rutgers by almost double digits.

"That's hopefully the first step," Cook said. "We're now creating more opportunities."

Despite a slow start, Penn has not given up on winning the Ivy League championship.

Cloud views tonight's game as preparation for Saturday's contest against Dartmouth, which is crucial in order to keep their title hopes alive. She's excited for what should be a tough game, but she said she doesn't feel the pressure.

"This week, we basically have nothing to lose," Cloud said. "Villanova is ranked No. 16. I'd rather be the underdog."

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