Last season, Penn inched past Lehigh in its opener and defeated Rider for its second victory.
The only problem was that there were eleven losses in the middle.
The Quakers (1-0) emerged victorious over Lehigh by an even slimmer margin last night and will travel to New Jersey on Sunday in search of their second win that eluded them for so long last season.
They will face a Rider
(0-1) team that has struggled mightily recently. The Broncs were destroyed by Rice, 92-57, in their opener, and have not had a winning season in over a decade. Their 3-25 record last year was even worse than Penn's.
Indeed, the Quakers' matchup against Rider last year was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise tumultuous season.
Penn dominated from the start and shot a season-high 51 percent from the floor en route to a 66-38 victory. That 28-point margin was also a season-high.
Jen Fleischer - the only key Penn senior to graduate - did not play in that contest, so the Quakers will be sporting a similar lineup on Sunday.
That does not mean, however, that victory will come as easily.
"I think one of the keys to beating Rider a year ago was containing penetration," coach Pat Knapp said.
But, he added, "I understand they have five new players over 6 foot, and that they'll be more of a big person team. So that could change things."
Knapp would not delve into specific strategies for Sunday's game. But throughout the preseason, he has stressed the importance of defense and rebounding.
The Quakers held Lehigh to 53 points in the opener. Tri-captain Lauren Pears, who missed most of last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, led the way defensively with six rebounds and seven steals. They also won the turnover battle, a problem they struggled with a year ago.
Nevertheless, the Quakers see plenty of room for improvement in the games ahead.
"We need to box out better to play better defense," Pears said.
The Red and Blue is also still looking for someone to fill Fleischer's shoes. The 6-foot-3 center led the Ivy League in rebounding last year and finished second in blocked shots.
"Our post players have to play defense and rebound for us to win," Knapp said. "If they score a little bit, that's going to be a bonus right now."
Knapp might not be worried, but the Quakers will probably not beat many teams with only 54 points; they allowed 66 points per game for 2005-06.
As they did for most of last season, Joey Rhoads and Monica Naltner led the Quakers offensively, each notching 18 points. The remaining players, however, also scored 18 points - combined.
And, though those two seniors were enough to anchor last night's victory, they'll need more of a supporting cast as the season progresses.
The Quakers can celebrate this win, but, after Sunday, the competition will get much tougher. They will host Delaware and Big Five opponents La Salle and Villanova on their upcoming homestand.
