Observers would doubt the ability of No. 20 Franklin and Marshall to upset Penn, the No.1 women's squash team in the country.
The doubters are probably right.
But that's not stopping the Quakers (4-0, 2-0 Ivy) from taking this match seriously. In fact, they're looking at their visit to Lancaster and the Diplomats (4-3) as an opportunity.
Considering how outmatched F&M; is, Penn coach Jack Wyant will be resting some starters.
"It's a good chance to give some of our girls who have been working really hard and are outside the top nine a chance to play," he said.
Senior captain Paula Pearson agrees with her coach's decision.
"I think it's beneficial for us to go out and play those less-experienced teams," she said. "They have the opportunity to grow with their team so we all have a few more matches in the year."
"We'll be able to focus on particular aspects of our game that we need to improve on," junior Elizabeth Kern added.
And after a month-long break, the Quakers beat No. 8 Williams last Saturday, erasing any doubts heading in.
"We're going into this match with a lot of confidence," said Kern.
The team's mindset is echoed by Wyant, who normally warns that his team needs to be wary and play their best even against weaker opponents. Last year, he said that teams need to avoid playing down to their opponents.
There seems to be none of that concern now.
"I'm sure that we'll play well and come away with the victory," he said. "They're a developing team."
Although F&M; is the lowest-ranked opponent that Penn will face this year, it has won the matches it was expected to win and put up more than a fight in those it was expected to lose.
They've beaten all of their lower-ranked opponents and even upset then-No. 13 St. Lawrence in December.
Nonetheless, they've maintained their preseason ranking even though they are probably a better team than their current position would indicate.
However, the Diplomats did disappoint somewhat against No. 29 Colgate in their last match, winning by a relatively slim 6-3 margin.
Though winning against Penn would be a huge feat, the Diplomats must tackle a smaller, more tangible goal first: not getting shut out.
Last year, they not only lost 9-0 in Philadelphia, but all of their players went down 3-0.
Anything short of a 9-0 win would be a huge disappointment for the Quakers, who are riding a huge wave since gaining the No. 1 ranking. In essence, this is just some sparring for the tough matchups later on.
