W. Lax shifting gears for first ranked foes

It might only be a week into the 2007 campaign, but the Penn women's lacrosse team will have an opportunity to make national headlines.

The squad will travel to Evanston, Ill. to take on the two-time defending national champions, No. 3 Northwestern. The No. 20 Quakers (2-0) will take on the Wildcats (2-1) next Friday in a game that could be a potential postseason matchup.

Considering the implications, the Quakers have had this game circled on the calendars for a long time.

"This is definitely one of the biggest games for me," junior Allison Ambrozy said. "I hope everyone goes into it with confidence and thinking that we can win because I believe we really can."

If the Quakers do live up to Ambrozy's lofty aspirations, it will be their first-ever win against Northwestern. Last year at Franklin Field, the Wildcats rolled, 17-8, and two years ago in Evanston they won 13-6.

To break the streak, the Quakers must stop the Wildcats' fast break, which, according to Penn head coach Karin Brower, is one of the best in the nation, as well as win the possession battle.

"They're really good at the 50-50 ground balls and that's going to be a key," Brower said. "I always stress to my team that all the balls on the ground, we've got to win them."

On the offensive side, the Quakers must contend with Northwestern's trapping defense.

"They have a very high-pressure defense which makes you panic and doesn't allow you to run your plays," Brower said. "It's a totally different game plan attack-wise because we just have to move the ball and not hold the ball too long and fold under pressure."

The Wildcats made history in 2005, becoming the first team not from the greater Northeast to ever win the national championship. And last year they became just the third school ever to repeat as champions when they beat Dartmouth 7-4 in the championship game.

But before the Quakers get a chance to knock off the defending champions, they host Towson (1-0) tomorrow.

According to Brower, the game should be a physical one, as both teams have stout defenses.

"We have to play good defense," Brower said. "Sometimes I feel like we let in a few easy goals. Our goal will be to make Towson work for every goal they get."

Last year, in their first ever meeting, the Quakers beat the Tigers 10-6 in Maryland.

Despite beating Drexel and Temple, the Quakers will need to adjust to the higher caliber of Towson and Northwestern if they want to maintain their undefeated record.

"It's a good question" if the team can adjust, Ambrozy said. "Definitely on defense we need to keep the play very aggressive."

If the Quakers can keep up the intensity, they just might put a scare their biggest opponent of the year.

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