NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Neither the cold Connecticut breeze nor Yale could stop the red-hot Penn field hockey team.
The Quakers continued their recent success with another offensive onslaught. Penn was able to get off 23 shots, 12 of which on goal, en route to a 3-2 victory.
After being tied 2-2 in the second half, Penn senior Tracy Statter redirected a deflection into the net with 19:16 left to take the lead for good.
With their fifth win in a row, the Quakers (8-7, 3-2 Ivy) now have a winning record for the first time this season. The players believes that this streak is indicative of the team's true abilities.
"We have been saying all along we have so much potential," junior midfielder Meghan Rose said. "It took a lot longer than we thought it would for everything to click."
That sentiment was also reflective of the contest. Yale (3-11, 2-3) took the lead twice in the game, but both times Penn was equal to the task. Junior Jamie Calahan got a stick on a rebound to tie the game 1-1 just under the 30-minute mark in the first half. In the second half, the Quakers' persistence prevailed as Nicole Black followed another rebound to make it even at two apiece.
Things were clicking for the Quakers, and Statter's goal was inevitable with all the opportunities Penn created.
"We held our ground, we made good decisions and we kept our composure," Senior defender Melina Tsui said. "It was our mental game that won it."
The Quakers now have their eye on the top teams in the Ancient Eight. Their remaining schedule includes the two most successful squads in the league: Brown and Princeton. While Princeton has clinched the Ivy League title, Penn has not lost its motivation to win.
"We hope to win two more," coach Val Cloud said. "Our goal is to get second place."
Meanwhile, Yale begins to look toward next season after a disappointing 2006 campaign.
"We lose a lot of seniors . but I think the team has learned a lot of lessons this year . that will prepare us for next season," Yale coach Pam Stuper said.
Yale fell to Quinnipiac, 2-1, last night, and will finish the season with Ivy League matchups against Columbia and Brown.
